News

Hope Rises As Ijaw Nation Wades Into Okomu Crisis

Published

2 months ago

June 13, 2025

Photo: File copy

There seems to be solution at sight to the crisis bedeviling Okomu community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State following the setting up of Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee by prominent Ijaw monarchs drawn from Edo, Ondo, Delta and Bayelsa states.

The setting up of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee by the Ijaw kings followed a request by His Royal Majesty, Pius Yanbor, the Pere (king) of Okomu Kingdom to his Ijaw brothers peres (king), appealing to them to intervene in the crisis that had led to the burning of houses and loss of lives.

Worried by the crisis and the consequent appeal by HRM Pius Yanbor, the Ijaw peres (kings), namely, HRM, Oboro Gbaraun II, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State; HRM, Zacheus Egbunu, the Agadagba of Arogbo Kingdom, Ondo State; HRM, Capt. Frank Okiakpe, the Pere of Gbaraun Kingdom, Bayelsa State; HRM, Joel Ibane, the Pere of Iduwini Kingdom, Delta State; HRM, Godwin Ogunoyibo, the Pere of Olodiama Kingdom, Edo State; HRM, Eseimokumor Ogonikara I, the Pere of Tubutoru Kingdom, Ondo State; HRM, Roman Bohan, the Pere of Furupagha Kingdom, Edo State, and HRM Stephen Ebikeme, the Pere of Oporomor Kingdom, Bayelsa State, in an acceptance memo of the Okomu king’s request which was made available to INFO DAILY stated: “We, the undersigned traditional rulers of Ijaw extraction, have unanimously aligned in agreement to take a deep dive into the crisis that has been rocking and bedeviling Okomu Kingdom for the past three years, with a view to providing respite and bringing lasting peace to the aforementioned kingdom.”

They continued: “This alignment however, is a fallout of a series of robust engagement amongst well-meaning and revered monarchs of Ijaw extraction, whose primary role in their various Kingdoms is to foster peace and unity.”

The Ijaw monarchs, thereafter, appointed Chief Sunday as the Chairman of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, High Chief Pascal Akpofagha as the General Secretary and 16 other notable Ijaw sons from various kingdoms as members.

The 18-member committee is saddled with the responsibility of interfacing with the warring parties in the kingdom with a view to restoring lasting peace to the kingdom.

The revered Ijaw monarchs further expressed their commitment to providing the necessary support and work with the committee within the ambit of the law in order to ensure peace and harmony return to Okomu Kingdom.

News

I’m Being Impersonated – Goodluck Jonathan Disowns Social Media Account

Published

2 hours ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday said he is being impersonated by fraudsters.

Jonathan alleged that a fraudulent Instagram handle has been impersonating him.

In a statement by his Media Aide,
Ikechukwu Eze, the former President insisted that he does not operate any Instagram handle.

The statement is titled ‘Beware of fake Instagram account impersonating H.E. Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’.

“Our attention has been drawn to a fraudulent Instagram account operating under the handle goodluck_ebelejonathan, which is falsely impersonating former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“This impostor account has been deceitfully posting content, some copied from Dr. Jonathan’s Facebook page, while pretending to represent the former President.

“We wish to emphasise that Dr. Jonathan does not operate any Instagram account.

“The media and members of the public are strongly advised to disregard, avoid sharing, or promoting any content originating from this fake profile,” the statement read.

News

Police Recruitment: PSC Moves To Stop Hijack Of Exercise By Politicians

Published

2 hours ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

The Police Service Commission, PSC, said it has met with representatives of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to fine tune preparations for an improved, transparent and credible 2025 police recruitment exercise.

Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations, in a statement said the Commission will be recruiting Cadet ASPs and Constables.

He said the meeting with the representatives was themed ‘Collaborative approach for a transparent and equitable Police Recruitment Process’.

Addressing the meeting, PSC Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu, rtd, said the Commission will work with the state governments to ensure a transparent and equitable recruitment process.

He said the state governments should be prepared to protect their quota and avoid hijack of the exercise in their states.

Argungu said the Commission has decided to eradicate connivance and resist trading/purchase of slots, stressing that special consideration will not be allowed to supplant merit and equity.

“We want to stop corruption in the system and open up the exercise to promote healthy competition and equitable spread.”

He told the meeting that the Commission will want constructive and impactful partnership with state governments to curb corruption in the process.

Justice Paul Adamu Galumje, retired Justice of the Supreme Court and commissioner representing the judiciary, told the meeting that the Commission was established for equity and fairness in police recruitment and operations and will henceforth ensure that nobody is allowed to hijack the exercise.

“We will rely on you to confirm that those to be recruited are from your states,” he said.

DIG Taiwo Lakanu, rtd, commissioner representing the police in the Commission, said the new PSC management is committed to reinvent a recruitment process that will produce the best Nigerian youths for the Nigeria Police Force.

News

N5bn Damage: NNPCL Secures Appeal Court Victory Against Ararume

Published

2 hours ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has announced that it has secured an Appeal Court judgement that upheld the state-owned oil firm’s appeal against the Federal High Court’s judgement that annulled Senator Ifeanyi Ararume’s removal as non-executive chairman of the company.

The country’s oil and gas firm disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday through its official X account.

It noted that the Appeal Court gave the judgement on August 8, 2025.

The Federal High Court had in April 2023 ruled in favour of Ararume. NNPCL was told to pay N5 billion as damage to the lawmaker.

Speaking on the latest judgement by the Appeal Court, NNPCL said it spares the oil firm a massive financial payout and removes a legal risk that could have invalidated all decisions of the board since 2021.

“The Appeal Court agreed to NNPC Limited’s position that the Federal High Court’s earlier decision was delivered in error, noting, amongst others, that the claim was statute-barred.

“The judgement sets a corporate governance precedent in Nigerian law and upholds the validity of board resolutions critical to the oil and gas industry’s investment and policy direction,” NNPCL stated.

Recall that in September 2021, former president Muhammadu Buhari appointed Ararume to the NNPCL board.

But, in January 2022, Ararume was replaced by Margret Chuba Okadigbo.