Metro

Flood: We’re Facing Humanitarian Crisis, Bayelsa Govt Cries Out

Published

3 years ago

October 15, 2022

The Bayelsa State Government has expressed concern that the impact of the rampaging flood might result in a humanitarian crisis.

The Commissioner for Environment and chairman of the state’s Task Force on Flood Mitigation and Management, Mr. Iselema Gbaranbiri, raised the concern on Saturday while giving an update on the committee’s activities.

He said the flood in the state has totally or partially submerged no fewer than 300 communities and villages.

Gbaranbiri also disclosed that about 700,000 persons have been displaced or affected by the flood.

He said virtually all the communities and streets in Yenagoa Local Government Area have also been submerged or partially flooded.

Communities in five other local government areas, namely Sagbama, Ekeremor, Ogbia, Kolokuma/Opokuma, and Southern Ijaw were equally seriously affected by the flood.

The Environment Commissioner said there had been reported cases of corpses being washed up at the cemetery in Asokoro, raising concerns of an impending health crisis.

He, however, assured that the government would do its best to bring relief to the flood victims as the committee was working round the clock to address the challenge of the current crisis.

On Friday, Governor Diri restated his proposal for a post-flood management roundtable between worst-hit states and the federal government.

The Bayelsa governor said such discourse had become necessary due to the infrastructure damage and the amount of state resources deployed in tackling the flood menace.

He spoke as he continued his on-the-spot assessment tour to Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and other Yenagoa Local Government Area communities.

Areas visited included the Amassoma road leading to the Niger Delta University (NDU), which has been cut off at three points along the road and left commuters stranded.

Governor Diri said the unfortunate incident would prevent the resumption of lectures at the university now that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called off its eight-month-old strike.

While lamenting the huge cost of fixing the damaged roads by his government, Diri stressed that individual losses of property and deaths would be minimal if a permanent solution was immediately adopted.

His words: “I have already thought out a line of action. Post-flood mitigation is very important to us at this time. The post-flood period will be about our destroyed infrastructure, particularly roads.

“On Thursday, we saw the road leading to Sagbama from Ekeremor had been badly damaged by the flood. Now, the road from Yenagoa to Amassoma, where you have the Niger Delta University, has collapsed in three areas. So, even with the ASUU calling off its strike, the university cannot resume. That is what I have been talking about the peculiarity of Bayelsa State and our Niger Delta environment.

“It will cost the state billions of naira before those roads would be repaired. Also, there are individual losses in terms of houses that have collapsed as a result of the flood and the deaths we have witnessed.

“In the post-flood management, the federal government has to sit with the states to look for a lasting and permanent solution. One of such solutions is the construction of a dam so when water is released from wherever, we should be able to contain it in Nigeria.”

The governor equally inspected the state-owned airport and expressed delight that despite the magnitude of the flood, the airport was not submerged, contrary to speculations by opposition elements.

He also visited the School of Nursing and Basic Midwifery in Tombia, Alamieyeseigha Road, Opolo, the Oxbow Lake Pavilion, and the State Assembly Quarters, Azikoro.

Metro

12 IDPs Suffer Snake Bites In Benue Camps

Published

18 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

No fewer than twelve Internally Displaced Persons from Agagbe camps in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State have suffered snake bite between January and now.

Terna Ibaah, also an IDP who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday from one of the camps in Agagbe, said that the latest victim was a 14-year-old Chagu Terhemen who was bitten by a snake last Friday without medical treatment.

Ibaah said, “Snake has bitten Master Chagu Terhemen, 14 years, who was displaced from his village, Tse Abian, in the Sengev Council Ward of Gwer West LGA.

“The 14-year-old boy was going to the farm with his father, Tse Kyomke Mbapupuu, in Gaambe Ushin Council Ward when he was bitten by a snake.”

He added that they had applied traditional treatment, but it seems not to be working, as the victim, as of Sunday afternoon, started convulsing.

He added that the fear of losing the young man necessitated the alarm raised, and added that the medical personnel only visit the IDP camps between Monday and Thursday.

When asked if there had been frequent snake bites of IDPs in Agagbe community, Ibaah said, “From January this year till now, we have recorded 12 victims of snake bites in Agagbe among the IDPs. Fortunately, no one has died.”

Ibaah, who is also a displaced person who claimed that most of the victims of snakebite were being treated with traditional medicine, accused the representative of the State Emergency Management Agency in the camp of neglecting the victims of the snakebite.

“The camp manager said that they cannot treat him because he is not staying in the camp, but he knows that due to congestion in the camps, some of the registered IDPs stay with the host community. The victim registration number is 81XO1649,” Ibaah said.

Ibaah said that there are five places where IDPs are camped in Agabe, namely, RCM Primary School, Sisters Convent, Saint Francis Secondary School, the old police station and Adzequa store, all in Agagbe and added that they were all congested.

When contacted, the Information Officer of SEMA, Tema Ager, said that the agency had a Memorandum of Understanding with the State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where they could rush the patient for treatment.

Ager said, “But SEMA has an MOU with the State University Teaching Hospital, where they can rush the patient for treatment.”

The Information Officer, however, said that as long as the victim is a registered IDP, he should be allowed to be taken for treatment at the Teaching Hospital.

Metro

Mob Lynches Woman Over Alleged Blasphemous Utterance In Niger

Published

18 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

The Niger State command of the Nigeria Police Force has confirmed a lady, simply known as Ammaye, was burnt to death by a mob over an alleged blasphemous utterance against the Islamic faith before security reinforcement could arrive.

Spokesman of the Command, Wasiu Abiodun, who revealed this in a statement on Sunday, said efforts are ongoing to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those involved in the crime.

Ammaye, a food seller, was lynched and set ablaze in Mariga Local Government Area of the state by suspected angry youths over alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at Kasuwan Garba in the council area, when the lady, a Muslim faithful and well-known food seller, was said to have engaged in an exchange of words with a young man said to be her nephew.

The young man was said to have jokingly told Ammaye that he wanted to marry her to “fulfil the Sunnah”. The lady was said to have made comments considered blasphemous.

This was said to have outraged the young men in the neighbourhood. The matter was taken to the palace of the District Head of Kasuwan Garba, where the lady was interrogated, and she allegedly repeated what she had earlier said.

The District Head was said to have handed Ammaye over to security operatives for further investigation, but a crowd of agitated youths overpowered the security operatives, insisting on her immediate execution.

It was learnt that before security reinforcement could arrive, the mob, made up of young men, had stoned Ammaye to death.

Niger State Police spokesman disclosed that the tragic incident occurred on 30th August, 2025, at about 2:00 pm.

According to him, “a report was received that one Amaye, a female resident of Kasuwan-Garba in Mariga LGA, allegedly made some utterances considered offensive to the Islamic faith. Her comments quickly provoked anger among members of the community.

“Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and the woman was set ablaze before the reinforcement of security teams could arrive at the scene,” Abiodun stated.

The spokesman said that while normalcy has since been restored to the area, the Police Command strongly condemns the act of jungle justice and assured that efforts are underway to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those involved in the crime.

Abiodun appealed to members of the public to remain calm, avoid taking the law into their own hands, and allow security agencies to handle sensitive matters in line with the provisions of the law.

The Chairman of Mariga Local Government, Abbas Adamu, who also confirmed the incident, reaffirmed that calm has since been restored to the area.

Metro

Police Arrest Suspected Fake Lawyer In Ogun

Published

19 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

The Zone XI Police Headquarters has arrested a suspected fake lawyer identified as Emmanuel Odeh, parading himself as a qualified attorney for almost 10 years mostly in Lagos and Abuja.

According to The PUNCH, Odeh has been allegedly duping unsuspecting Nigerians under the guise of legal representation, estate agency, and public consultancy.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Ade Ogunyemi, who disclosed Odeh was arrested by operatives of the X-Squad Section of the Zone, led by ACP Akinloye Oyegade.

He explained that Odeh was arrested on Thursday at a court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while appearing as counsel for a client.

“Emmanuel Odeh was arrested on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at a court premises in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while standing as a legal representative for an unsuspecting client.

“ACP Oyegade stated that the self-acclaimed lawyer had been under investigation for impersonation and fraud.

“Investigations revealed that the suspect operated under the name A O EMMANUEL, LEGAL PRACTITIONER AND PUBLIC CONSULTANT,” the statement partly read.

Ogunyemi said the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone XI Headquarters, Osogbo, Emuobo Ekokotu, urged Nigerians to always verify the authenticity of legal practitioners before engaging their services.

AIG Ekokotu described the case as another clear example of why Nigerians must be vigilant.

“This case underscores the dangers of dealing with unverified legal practitioners.

“Victims of such impostors risk losing their hard-earned money, suffering inadequate legal representation, having their cases compromised, and even facing damage to their reputation,” he said.

He warned that the police will not hesitate to bring impersonators to justice.

“This incident should serve as a deterrent to criminal-minded individuals who falsely present themselves as lawyers in order to exploit innocent citizens.

“The long arm of the law will always catch up with them,” Ekokotu stated.

Ogunyemi confirmed that the suspect would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.