News

Flood: IYC Accuses Buhari, FG Of Abandoning Bayelsa

Published

4 years ago

October 25, 2022

Editor

The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has flayed the silence of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government over the ongoing floods in the Niger Delta region, especially Bayelsa State.

The IYC President, Peter Timothy Igbifa, said over 85 percent of the entire Bayelsa was under water, with about 100 deaths recorded in the last two weeks.

He demanded the deployment of the presidential fleet to the state to rescue trapped victims and mitigate the damage already done by the flood.

Igbifa in a statement on Tuesday sent to DAILY POST, lamented that Bayelsa had been cut off from civilisation as the floods took over and washed away significant portions of the only road leading to the state, the East-West road, at both the Rivers and Delta State axis.

The IYC boss described the condition of the people at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Bayelsa as terrible, insisting that the traumatised victims required urgent medical, food and cash deployment to avert starvation and outbreak of diseases.

He told Buhari that the situation was so overwhelming that all commendable efforts of the state Governor, Senate Douye Diri, to mitigate it had become like a drop of water in the ocean.

He said the IYC under his watch had also set up a flood relief committee to procure some materials and share with the victims but insisted that his effort was not enough to avert the grave danger faced by the people.

He wondered why Buhari would maintain unimaginable aloofness to the state of his predecessor, former President Goodluck Jonathan, who willingly handed over power to him, abandoning his people at their time of need.

He said, “As we speak, former President Goodluck Jonathan is officially an internally displaced person. His country home has been submerged and the people of Otuoke like other people from different parts of the state are traumatised.

“Bayelsa’s case is pathetic and requires special intervention from President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government. The floods destroyed the East-West road, the only road leading to Bayelsa at both ends of Rivers and Delta. Therefore the entire Bayelsa is cut off and inaccessible by land.

“There is no movement of goods and services to the state. Trucks carrying foodstuffs, medicine and other items can no longer enter Bayelsa. The food available in the state before the floods had been totally consumed. Starvation is staring people in the face and threatening to wipe them out of existence.

“The available IDPs are congested with a serious fear of outbreak of diseases among the people. Our people are hopeless and helpless yet the federal government led by Buhari is carrying on as if all is well”.

Igbifa said the federal government would have risen and quickly undertaken emergency responses if the floods had affected the flow of crude oil in all the pipelines located in the state.

“If this flood had affected oil pipelines, the federal government would have been conducting emergency responses using high-powered boats and helicopters. But now that it affects only the people, they are behaving as if it doesn’t concern them. They place a premium on oil more than human lives”, he said.

Igbifa called on Buhari to order a special and urgent humanitarian response to Bayelsa and rescue the dying victims of the flood.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

4 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.