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

Published

1 month ago

August 14, 2023

Editor

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

“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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LG Chairman Assures Corps Members Of Security Of Lives In Bauchi

Published

23 mins ago

September 28, 2023

Editor

Mr Markus Lusa, the caretaker Chairman of Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi state has assured the corps members serving in the area of security of their lives and property.

He made the assurance on Thursday during a town hall meeting between the corps members and the Bogoro local government council stakeholders, organised by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the area.

Lusa, who explained that the council was always partnering with all the security agencies in the area, added that the council was ready to partner with NYSC to better the lives of the corps members serving in the local government.

Represented by Mr Markus Nahemia, the Director, Administration and General Services, Bogoro LGA, Lusa urged the corps members to be patient as all their previous demands would be met in due time.

Earlier, Mr David Dauda, Bogoro Local Government Inspector (LGI) of NYSC, enjoined the stakeholders in the area to encourage corps members by financing community development projects that would have a positive impact on the lives of the members of their host communities.

He appreciated the government and the people of Bogoro for being corps members friendly, adding that the LGA could best be described as a home away from home to Corps members.

In his remarks, Mr Saul Mamman, the Education Secretary, Bogoro Local Education Authority, said that assisting corps members to execute community development service projects would lead to greater social impact and sustainable change in the local communities.

Speaking on behalf of the corps members, the Corps Liaison Officer (CLO), Bogoro Local Government, Mr Daniel Obioma described the programme as apt and timely.

While commending the people of the area for being accommodating and hospitable to corps members, Obioma said that the event would assist them in discharging their duties effectively.

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Subsidy: CSO Threatens To Thwart Labour’s Oct 3 Planned Indefinite Strike

Published

2 hours ago

September 28, 2023

Editor

A Civil Society Organisation, CSO, operating under the aegis of Civil Society and Workers Dialogue Forum (CSWDF), has expressed its disapproval of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC’s planned indefinite strike scheduled to commence on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

The organisation described the proposed strike as sabotage and deliberate mischief, saying the union wasn’t sensitive to its part of dialogue with the Federal Government over the fuel subsidy removal impasse.

Reacting to the planned strike in a statement jointly signed and issued on Thursday by the group’s convener, Abubakar Ibrahim and co-conveners, Bashir Faisal and Rafiu Shaibu, they assured of their support if the two workers’ unions decided to toe the path of nobility.

According to the CSO, the Nigeria Labour Congress fully agreed to the withdrawal of fuel subsidy, which they also earlier advocated for, adding that “having the subsidy that has been draining government for centuries removed, it should be supported by all stakeholders”.

The group, having acknowledged the difficulty faced by Nigerians, explained that the Federal Government has made deft moves in rehabilitating the refineries to reduce the cost of petrol and gas importation.

It added that the recent distribution of palliative to the tune of N5 billion to each of the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT are part of mitigation measures until things normalise as no government anywhere in the world derives pleasure in the suffering of its people.

“The wage increase of workers is being negotiated with NLC constituting membership of the committee, hence, we are appalled at what the proposed strike intended to achieve.

“As opposed to the past, the NLC has always been on the negotiation table before any decision was taken by this administration.

“We recalled that in June this year, the Union was in talks with the FG over fuel subsidy removal without carrying other stakeholders along, which we protested our exclusion.

“Having agreed with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, only for the workers Union to recant and propose an indefinite strike is counter-productive and we will mobilise our members across the 36 States and FCT for anti-NLC protest.

“This statement should serve as official notice to the Director of State Service DSS, IGP and other security agencies, that we are going to mobilise to streets against NLC on 3rd October, 2023,” the CSO stressed.

The group recalled that some states have purchased buses for public transportation and have also added funds to the federal government’s offer to them, insisting that the proposed strike was inappropriate.

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Nigerian Artistes In Strange Covenant With Devil – Nigerian Prophet

Published

2 hours ago

September 28, 2023

Editor

The spiritual head of the Wisdom Church of Christ International, Prophet Bisi Olujobi, has said some Nigerian artistes have entered a strange covenant with the devil.

The Prophet said this in a statement he made available to DAILY POST on Thursday.

According to him, the artistes, in the desperation to achieve stardom, seek favour from the devil.

However, he noted that these celebrities did not know that the devil would take something back for every favour received from him.

“The devil cannot give anything without taking something reasonable in return. That is the game of the devil which they (Nigerian artistes) fail to realize,” he disclosed.

Olujobi called on Nigerian artistes and their African counterparts to return to God, who he described as the giver of all gifts.

The cleric said the strange covenant between the artistes and the devil would be the reason behind the untimely end of some of them in their prime.

“Nigerian artistes and their African counterparts have to return to God, the giver of all gifts, as many of them have entered into strange covenant that will eventually cut off their light at their peak,” he stressed.