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Opu-Nembe: Bayelsa Govt Faults Security Agents Operations, Slams Alleged Human Rights Abuses

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The Bayelsa State Government has condemned the alleged cases of human rights violations in Nembe-Basambiri, Nembe Local Government Area, following the deployment of a crack team from the police force headquarters in Abuja.

Governor Douye Diri made the condemnation at Basambiri shortly after an unscheduled visit to assess the security situation in the community on Monday.

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His visit came on the heels of the outbreak of fresh attacks by suspected gunmen in the sister communities of Basambiri and Ogbolomabiri respectively on Saturday and in the early hours of Monday.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, claimed that the modus operandi supposedly adopted by the crack team to mop up arms in the area was faulty.

READ ALSO: Bayelsa Guber: Court Fixes Judgement Date On Suit Seeking Sylva’s Disqualification

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He noted that true professional operation requires them to go after the real criminals rather than harass and arbitrarily arrest peaceful and law-abiding citizens of the Nembe Kingdom.

A statement issued on Monday night by the deputy governor’s media aide, Mr Doubara Atasi, said the governor, called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately pull out his men from Nembe Basambiri to de-escalate the growing tensions in the area.

He ordered the immediate evacuation of one of the alleged victims of the recent shootings, Mrs Ifiemi Eminah, noting that she should be taken from the Ogbolomabiri General Hospital to Yenagoa for improved medical attention.

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He urged the police and the military personnel on the ground in Nembe to exhibit a high level of professionalism in carrying out their mandate.

READ ALSO: Indigenous Oil Facility Security Company clears air on discovery of 9 illegal refineries in Bayelsa

He said, “On the impression we have, clearly most of our fears have been justified. That the deployment of the police from Abuja into Opu-Nembe is not actually for the purpose of mopping up arms.

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“What we’ve seen is that there is a very high level of human rights abuse here. As you can see, I’m at the General Hospital here in Nembe to visit a woman who was shot by somebody in a police uniform. And I’m evacuating her to Yenagoa.

“We also have the report that a distress call was sent from a police station when even the DPO had not raised an alarm. I don’t know how somebody in Abuja will know that there is a security threat (to a) police station and sent people to come and start shooting aimlessly.

“So our appeal to the Inspector General is that he should please pull out his men from Opu-Nembe. We have a case of three youths that were killed since the 15th of February this year.”

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READ ALSO: Police Arrest Gunmen In Bayelsa Community, Recover Arms

He added, “Some people were alleged to be involved in that crime and their names have been made available to the police but nothing serious is seen to have been done to arrest and prosecute them up till now.

“We also appeal for the community particularly our youths to be calm no matter the level of provocation. The Government of Bayelsa is a responsible government and we are following up. That is why the Governor has asked us to come.

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“We are not going to allow anyone to be intimidated. We will ensure that their rights are protected. Our youths should not respond in any form because the government is on top of the situation. And we believe justice will be done.”

The governor was accompanied on the visit by service commanders including the state Commissioner of Police, CP Alausa, some members of the Bayelsa State Executive Council, and other top functionaries of government.
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Lagos Suspends BRT Lane Enforcement On Eko Bridge, Odo Iya-Alaro

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The Lagos State Government has temporarily suspended enforcement of the Bus Rapid Transit lane along the Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro corridor to ease growing traffic congestion.

This gridlock is a result of the ongoing structural rehabilitation on the Ogudu-Ifako Bridge expansion joint.

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Special Adviser to the Lagos Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa announced the suspension on Wednesday, describing it as a strategic move to tackle gridlock in affected parts of the city.

This remedial measure, conceived as a palliative response to mitigate commuter hardship, aligns with the Lagos State Government’s forward-thinking and adaptive transportation strategy under the THEMES Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, particularly within the framework of sustainable traffic management and infrastructure modernisation,” Giwa said.

READ ALSO:Lagos Monarch Dethrones Six Chiefs For ‘Impersonating’ Him At Labour Party Campaign

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He explained that the temporary suspension is a transitional and conditional measure aimed at absorbing the anticipated vehicular overflow caused by the partial closure of the Ifako-bound carriageway of the Third Mainland corridor.

We are fully cognizant of the immense strain currently imposed on key ingress routes into the Lagos Mainland. Consequently, this tactical suspension of BRT lane enforcement is a calculated response designed to deliver immediate relief, reduce commuting time, and preserve the fluidity of vehicular movement throughout the duration of the bridge repairs,” he added.

According to him, the directive takes immediate effect and allows general vehicular access to previously restricted BRT corridors on Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro, particularly during peak travel periods.

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He said this move is expected to expand available road capacity and ease traffic along critical routes.

READ ALSO:Lagos Opens Teacher Recruitment Portal For Two Weeks

Giwa, however, stressed that commercial buses and articulated vehicles must remain in compliance with existing safety rules and loading guidelines to avoid worsening traffic conditions or compromising public safety.

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He also disclosed that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has been mobilised to strengthen its presence along the affected corridors.

Enhanced personnel deployment and traffic equipment are now in place to ensure orderly conduct, prevent exploitation of the temporary suspension, and respond promptly to any emergent traffic disturbances,” Giwa stated.

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Lagos Opens Teacher Recruitment Portal For Two Weeks

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The Lagos State Government has announced the reactivation of its teaching job recruitment portal to allow qualified individuals to apply for entry-level teaching positions.

In a notice issued by the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission on Tuesday, the portal will be open for applications from Tuesday, July 1 to Monday, July 14, 2025.

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The Lagos State Teaching Service Commission is set to reactivate its Recruitment Portal as a bold step towards improving access to employment opportunities, equity, and fairness.

READ ALSO:FG Gives Overstaying Foreigners Ultimatum To Regularise Visa

The job portal, which will be accessible for two weeks (Tuesday, July 1st 2025, to Monday, July 14th, 2025), is intended to provide a centralised platform where individuals can apply for State Teaching jobs at the entry level (GL 08) in their relevant fields,” the notice read.

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The move, according to the Commission, is aimed at improving access to employment opportunities in the education sector while ensuring equity and fairness.

TESCOM urged interested applicants with a degree in Education or other relevant qualifications to visit the official portal https://tescomjobs.lagosstate.gov.ng and apply for teaching roles at Grade Level 08.

The notice was signed by the Chairman of the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission.

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FG Unveils N50m Grant To Boost Student Innovation, Entrepreneurship

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The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced a N50m Student Grant Venture Capital Initiative to support scaling student-led enterprises in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

Alausa said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry by turning homegrown research into commercially viable products and services.

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The minister made the announcement on Wednesday in Abuja when he inaugurated the Research and Innovation Commercialisation Committee.

READ ALSO:NSCDC, Immigration, Others: FG Postpones Recruitment, Changes Portal

He said the scheme, which will be anchored by TETFund in partnership with the Bank of India, targets undergraduate students in 300-level and above with viable business models and innovations ready for market expansion.

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According to the minister, the development is aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of transitioning Nigeria from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-driven one.

We have hundreds of thousands of young geniuses across our institutions. This fund is designed to unlock their potential and help them build globally competitive enterprises,” the minister said.

READ ALSO:FG Gives Overstaying Foreigners Ultimatum To Regularise Visa

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On her part, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the inauguration as a landmark moment in Nigeria’s education and innovation history.

For too long, research in our tertiary institutions has been reduced to tools for promotion rather than solutions for development. This must change,” she said.

In his response, the Committee Chairman, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, described the RICC as “a matter of national urgency”, noting that Nigeria’s research investment as a percentage of GDP is among the lowest when compared to peer nations.

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