News

Ex-lawmaker, Rivers CP Bicker Over Alleged Gunmen Attack

Published

3 years ago

December 16, 2022

A former senator representing the Rivers South-East district in the National Assembly, Lee Maeba, and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, are on a collision course over an alleged attack on the former’s residence by suspected political thugs in GRA Phase 3, Port Harcourt, last Thursday.

While the CP Effiong expressed doubts that the said attack happened from preliminary investigations carried out by the police, Maeba, who is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State, insisted that it happened.

Maeba said he was prepared to go to court to prove that thugs invaded his compound, destroyed property, injured his elder brother and wanted to gain entrance into his house, but retreated when they couldn’t.

Speaking to newsmen at his office, Effiong wondered why Maeba had yet to come forward to give his statement concerning the attack on his compound.

The CP said, “I called him that we need to see you for your statement. And he said he was waiting for his lawyer.”

On Maeba’s allegations that the CP did not respond to several calls he put across to him over the attack on his compound, the CP, denying, said though he was in an operation and not with is mobile telephone, someone in a distress situation would have called more than once.

“I was somewhere in Bodo in Gokana local government in an operation. I am going to show you my call log so that you will be able to tell me how many times the senator called me.

“I want to believe that when somebody is in distress, he will call one, two, three. He called me. I didn’t have his number. I was in an operation.

“When somebody else called later, quickly I detailed a team led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police. He saw the team and interacted with them,” he said.

The CP wondered the claim of the PDP campaigner that the suspected thugs had planned to kill him, yet none of his buildings was damaged.

“We have pictures of the cars that were allegedly destroyed. We are talking about a senator who has a fleet of cars.

“How come that that day only 1990, 2000 Camry and Corollas that were damaged.

“Was it a coincidence that all the expensive cars, none was touched (by the) thugs; the people only touched the rickety cars?

“Was it a coincidence that only rickety cars were packed in his garage?”

But when contacted on Thursday, Maeba debunked claims that he stage-managed the attack and expressed shock at the CP’s comments, saying it showed that the Effiong did not investigate even though it was reported to him.

He said, “The CP has lied against me and has brought down my reputation. I will challenge him in a court of law to prove that I was attacked. How did the CP reach that conclusion without an investigation?

“Does it mean there was no investigation when people came to attack me and destroyed my property?

“You came to my house and said the only thing that would have made you believe that people attacked my house was that they destroyed old cars.

“My escalade 2015 is not an old car. My Camry is 2017. How is it an old car? I never knew that the CP had been compromised. The same thing the state Commissioner for Information and Communications said was what the CP stood on.

“If the CP said I have not given a statement, yes I told him I was waiting for my lawyer. My lawyer returned yesterday and I have made a statement.”

Continuing, Maeba said, “The CP has not even seen my statement and he concluded that I attacked myself. That is completely unprofessional, bogus and unimaginable. He lied against me that I organised thugs to attack my home.

“He even said there is no evidence that thugs attacked my home. So who attacked my home and broke those cars? The CP has a case to answer before the human rights commission.

“My rights have been trampled upon and the CP has brought my reputation to ridicule. I give the CP 24 hours to tender an unreserved apology and retract his lies against me or I will drag him to court or before the human rights commission.

“He has displayed the attitude of a compromised police officer and it is very unfortunate.”

News

Migration Agency Warns Migrants Against Irregular Travel Routes

Published

2 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with Giving is Healing Foundation, has sensitised residents of Ayobo in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on the dangers of irregular migration and the need to embrace legal travel procedures.

Speaking during a sensitisation programme held at Megida Ifelodu Community Development Association in Ayobo, the founder of Giving is Healing Foundation, Mr. Gbolahan Ayediran, warned intending migrants against using illegal travel routes.

Ayediran said many Nigerians desire to migrate abroad in search of better opportunities but often ignore proper procedures, thereby exposing themselves to several dangers.

“Lots of people want to migrate and most of them do it in the wrong direction. The reason for the programme is for us to advise people on how they can migrate in the right way. As much as migration is their right, they should do it correctly,” he said.

He advised intending travellers to obtain the necessary travel documents before embarking on any journey, noting that such documents include international passports, visas, flight tickets and yellow cards, depending on the destination country.

According to him, migrants should also gather adequate information about their destination countries to enable them make informed decisions before travelling.

Ayediran further highlighted some of the dangers associated with irregular migration, including abuse, exploitation, discrimination and forced labour.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Megida Ifelodu Community Development Association, Elder Mathews Amusan, commended the organisers for enlightening members of the community on safe migration practices.

He urged residents planning to travel abroad to always follow legal migration procedures to avoid falling victim to human trafficking and other migration-related challenges.

One of the participants, Mr. Kolawole Adenoko, said the programme enlightened him on the dangers of irregular migration and the importance of travelling through the proper channels.

He added that he would also educate his relatives and friends on the risks associated with illegal migration.

News

Shatta Wale Bailed Burna Boy From Ghana Prison After Arrest For Smoking Weed – Captan

Published

5 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

Ghanian singer, Captan, has claimed that his former record label boss, Shatta Wale, once bailed Nigerian singer Burna Boy out of prison in Ghana after he was allegedly arrested for smoking weed.

Speaking in a recent podcast interview, Captan claimed that Shatta Wale sent him and others to free Burna Boy from police custody.

He also claimed that Shatta Wale and his group once accommodated Burna Boy when he was being hunted by some dangerous men.

Captan said, “I once bailed Burna Boy out of prison in Ghana when he was arrested for smoking weed. Shatta Wale sent me and some guys to go and free him from police custody.

“There was a time we also accommodated him when some people were after his life. We helped him settle the case.”

He added that he and Burna Boy are no longer in good terms after the Nigerian artist’s fallout with his mentor, Shatta Wale.

He, however, said he and Shatta Wale are open to reconciling with Burna Boy if he asks for it.

Watch the video here

News

Children’s Day: Chaos At Ogbe Stadium As Dozens Faint

Published

21 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Editor

Chaos erupted on Wednesday during the Children’s Day celebration as dozens of students reportedly collapsed following a stampede triggered by the use of pepper spray.

The event,
organised by the Edo State Ministry of Education at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was disrupted after some male students of Ihogbe College allegedly made uncompromising advances towards female students at the venue.
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‎ A parent who identified himself as Oboh Emmanuel said, “the behaviour of those uncultured students attracted the attention of bouncers stationed at the stadium as they rebuked the male students.”
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‎Oboh said the affected students later regrouped and attacked the bouncers, leading to a confrontation within the crowded arena.

READ ALSO:Children’s Day: Edo Commits To Child Protection
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It was gathered that in the ensuing confusion, the bouncers were reported to have deployed pepper spray in an area occupied by a large number of students.
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‎Several students, particularly female students, reportedly fainted after inhaling the substance, while others sustained injuries after being stepped on during the ensuing melee.
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‎The panic was said to have spread across the stadium as students, teachers and parents scampered for safety.
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‎Many of the affected students were reportedly rushed to the Edo Specialist Hospital for medical attention.

Reacting to the incident, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Dr Patrick Ebojele, said the security personnel that fired the tear gas had been detained.

He said all the students, except two, that were rushed to the hospital have been discharged.

Ebojele stated that doctors wanted to observe the students till tomorrow before allowing them to go home.

“The two students are not seriously injured. Doctors want to observe them overnight. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education is still at the hospital. The man who used pepper spray has been detained.

“The incident did not happen the way it is being exaggerated. All modalities were put in place to ensure the children enjoyed their day.”
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