News

Oil Spill, Piracy Crippling Fish Business, Fishermen Count Losses

Published

4 years ago

October 8, 2022

Fishermen in the coastal community of Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have continued to count losses as the activities of sea pirates, as well as oil spills continue unabated in the area.

They narrated horrific experiences encountered during fishing expeditions, especially with pirates’ attack and hazardous nature of gas flaring.

All these hiccups have culminated in the scarcity of fish and hike in the price of the few available ones.

According to reports, this has made eating fish in Akwa Ibom to be like living at the bank of a river and washing hands with spittle.

Ibeno, one of the coastal oil producing communities in Akwa Ibom State with a sole occupation of fishing, occupies over 1,200 sq. kms of land stretching from Okposo I at the eastern flank, bordering Mbo Local Government Area and Bakassi Peninsula to Atabrikang village on its Western flank.

It is bounded in the South by the Atlantic Ocean and shares a border with Eket, Esit Eket, Onna and Eastern Obolo local government areas.

Ibeno plays host to the Mobil/Exxon QIT terminal where crude oil is processed for export all over the world, though the oil giant has announced plans to sell its assets to Seplat in order to move into deeper waters.

The activities of the multinational company, no doubt, have impacted negatively on the community’s source of livelihood which is fishing and had brought untold hardship to the people which made the community call on them to clean up the mess in the community before divesting.

In a capacity building workshop organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HoMEF at Okoro Utip hall, Ibeno, members of the community took turns to express their pains over the incidences of piracy and oil spills which have greatly affected them.

One of the fishermen, Ukeme Walter lamented that fishes and other aquatic foods are dying due to oil spills, explaining that the few left have moved down to the high sea which is very risky for fishermen.

According to him, “We don’t have good access to our businesses in terms of fishing, gas flaring is disturbing our water a lot. Before now, the fishes were close to our ocean but because of pollution, you now need to move into the high sea, which takes several litres of fuel.

“Sometimes, if you go to the sea, you may not even see the fish and the ones caught when sold would not even cover the expenses you made so far.”

He added that apart from killing fishes in the ocean, oil spills affect their nets and engine boats.

According to him, “the oil in the water spoils our nets which is very expensive and we go on repairing engines. Sometimes, if you cast your net in the water, you will not be able to catch fish due to gas flares in the water.”

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of sea pirates, one Ime Ben revealed that the hoodlums always strike whenever the sea storm rises.

“When the sea storm rises, we divert to where we could land safely; they would come there, attack us and take away all our belongings such as net, boat engine which cost about three million Naira each, they always attack around 2 or 3am when our men go out fishing.

“When we move to water, they go to the boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon; some of them they will collect the engine and the boat, some of them, if they like you, they will carry you and drop you where you can come out; some of them they will ask you to jump inside the sea and you know you cannot swim in such a magnitude of water even though you know how to swim; a lot of people have died,” he said.

Speaking at the workshop, Stephen Oduware, Project Lead for HOMEF regretted that the people in the coastal region, despite their natural resources being exploited to feed the nation have not gotten benefits commensurate with what they have offered.

He urged them to organize themselves to demand their rights from relevant authorities, enumerating the rights to include among others: the right to health, decent occupation and a healthy environment.

Oduware said, “This is a call to the government because these people are among the most under-represented and under-served. So, the government should do more to protect these people and their businesses. They should provide the necessary infrastructure needed by them to make their businesses thrive; they are the ones feeding the nation.

“Information is key, we cannot do everything. We are advocating for a proper structure like a port, where fishermen will have access to freezers, modern drying cans, and a good storage system, among others.”

On her part, Obongawan Emem Okon, the Director of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Center decried the effect of oil spills and gas flaring, particularly in the Niger Delta region, stressing that these have negatively impacted fishermen and their businesses.

Okon said she was no longer advocating for empowerment for women, rather women from the riverine communities should be enlightened enough to ask questions and demand for their rights and entitlement.

She called for legislative backings for such demands.

She added, “women also play a key role in fishery business, therefore, the government should urgently support them.”

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

Published

12 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

News

IGP Orders Officers Display Name Tag On Uniform, Gives Update On State Police

Published

12 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, has ordered all police personnel to always have their name tags on their uniforms for easy identification.

Disu disclosed that only police personnel who are undercover are exempted from displaying their name tags.

Speaking on Tuesday, Disu said: “All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us so if you look at all the Commissioners of Police we have our name tags, so it’s not our standard.

News

Court Orders SERAP To Pay DSS Operatives N100m For Defamation

Published

17 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered a non-governmental organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, to pay N100 million as damaged to two operatives of the Department of the State Services, DSS, for unjustly defaming them in some publications.

The court also ordered SERAP to tender public apologies to the defamed officers,
Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, in two national newspapers, two television stations and its website.

Besides, the organization was also ordered to pay the two operatives N1 million as cost of litigation and 10 percent post-judgment interest annually on the judgment sum until it’s fully liquidated.

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory gave the order on Tuesday while delivering judgment in a N5.5 billion defamation suit instituted against SERAP by the DSS operatives.

The judge found SERAP liable for unjustly defaming the two DSS operatives with allegations that they unlawfully invaded its Abuja office, harassed and intimidated its staff, in September 2024.

In the offending publication on its website and Twitter handle, SERAP alleged that the two operatives unlawfully invaded and occupied its office with sinister motives.

The judge held that the publication was in bad taste especially from an organization established to promote transparency and accountability, as nothing in the publication was found to be truthful.

The DSS staff had listed SERAP as 1st defendant in the suit marked CV/4547/2024. SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, was listed as the 2nd defendant.

In the suit, the claimants – Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele – accused the two defendants of making false claims that they invaded SERAP’s Abuja office on September 9, 2024..

Counsel to the DSS, Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde, had while adopting his final address in the mater urged the judge to grant all the reliefs sought by his client in the interest of justice.

He admitted that although the names of the two claimants were not mentioned in the defamation materials, they had however established substantial circumstances that they are the ones referred to in the published defamation article by SERAP on its website.

The counsel submitted that all ingredients of defamation have been clearly established and the offending publication referred to the two officials of the secret police.

However, SERAP, through its counsel, Victoria Bassey from Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, law firm, asked the court to dismiss the suit on the ground that the two claimants did not establish that they were the ones referred to in the alleged defamation materials.

She said that SERAP used “DSS officials” in the alleged offending publication, adding that the two claimants must establish that they are the ones referred to before their case can succeed.

Similar arguments were canvassed by Oluwatosin Adefioye who stood for the second defendant, adding that there was no dispute in the September 9, 2024 operation of DSS in SERAP’s office.

He said that since SERAP in the publication did not name any particular person, the claimants must plead special circumstances that they were the ones referred to as the DSS officials.

Besides, he said that there is no organization by name Department of State Services in law, hence, DSS cannot claim being defamed adding that the only entity known to law is National Security Agency.

The claimants had in the suit stated that the alleged false claim by SERAP has negatively impacted on their reputation.

The DSS also stated, in the statement of claim, that, in line with the agency’s practice of engaging with officials of non-governmental organisations operating in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it directed the two officials – John and Ogunleye – to visit SERAP’s office and invite them for a familiarization meeting.

The claimants added that in carrying out the directive, John and Ogunleye paid a friendly visit to SERAP’s office at 18 Bamako Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja on September 9 and met with one Ruth, who upon being informed about the purpose of the visit, claimed that none of SERAP’s management staff was in the country and advised that a formal letter of invitation be written by the DSS.

John and Ogundele, who claimed that their interactions with Ruth were recorded, said before they immediately exited SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to inform her organisation’s management about the visit and volunteered a phone number – 08160537202.

They said it was surprising that, shortly after their visit, SERAP posted on its X (Twitter) handle – @SERAPNigeria – that officers of the DSS are presently unlawfully occupying its office.

The claimant added, “On the same day, the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s website, which was widely reported by several media outfits, falsely alleging that some officers from the DSS, described as “a tall, large, dark-skinned woman” and “a slim, dark skinned man,” invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant (SERAP).

John and Ogundele stated that “due to the false statements published by the defendants, the DSS has been ridiculed and criticised by international agencies such as the Amnesty International and prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana (SAN)”.

“Due to the false statements published by the defendants, members of the public and the international community formed the opinion that the Federal Government is using the DSS to harass the defendants.”

They added that the defendants’ statements caused harm to their reputation because the staff and management of the DSS have formed the opinion that the claimants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation and are therefore, incompetent and unprofessional.

The claimants therefore prayed the court for the following reliefs: “An order directing the defendants to tender an apology to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter) handle, two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard) and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing the claimants of unlawfully invading the first defendant’s office and interrogating the first defendant’s staff.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N5 billion as damages for the libellous statements published about the claimants.

“Interest on the sum of N5b at the rate of 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is realised or liquidated.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N50 million as costs of this action.”