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Osinbajo’s Invitation: Otuaro Didn’t Sideline PANDEF, Says Group

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…Blasts IPDI Leader For Comments, ‘Insulting’ Clark, Others.

Deputy Governor of Delta State, Deacon Kingsley Burutu Otuaro rose up in defence of oil communities in Delta State rather than sideline their leaders in proposed dialogue with the Federal Government over demands including Marginal Oil Fields.

Chairman of Bomadi Political Renaissance, BPR, Mr. Bibobra Custom, in a statement on Friday in Asaba said the “sideline” position expressed by one Comrade Austin Ozobo, President of Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative (IPDI) was “hasty, uninformed and mischievous”.

Ozobo, leader of the IPDI, had Thursday in a press briefing in Warri described meeting held amongst Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Slyva, Delta State Deputy Governor Kingsley Otuaro and Nigerian Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo as secretive, gathering of political friends, and that it does not represent the interest of the Niger Delta People and that the region is yet to delegate anybody or group to deputized on her behalf.

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Further reacting to Ozobo’s comment, the BPR chairman said it was wrong to have misunderstood purpose of the meeting by thinking that oil bearing stakeholders/leaders had been or would be sidelined in the dialogue table.

Custom said “it was wrong for Ozobo or anybody to have misunderstood the “what is happening in Delta State” meeting between governments, Federal (Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Timipre Sylva) and Delta State (represented by Otuaro), to mean that oil bearing stakeholders/leaders had been or would be sidelined in the dialogue table to which Otuaro reportedly before and immediately after said they would be invited.

“IPDI’s Ozobo was a poor student of history in this matter by failing to be guided by fact that Osinbajo in 2017 first met oil communities/areas before meeting with leaders of Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, that was in place before his visits.

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“There was nothing in the media space or anywhere, from start of protests to Otuaro’s return from meeting Osinbajo, suggesting that Otuaro wished to displace or replace the oil communities and their leaders in the envisaged dialogue”.

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According to Custom, “If Ozobo had followed developments, he would have known that the Delta State government via Otuaro merely took responsible action towards the security and welfare of people of Delta State.

“The issues began with protests from his own Ijaw of Gbaramatu Kingdom and Itsekiri and up till Otuaro’s invitation by Vice President, the protests and issues/Marginal Fields requests were from Delta State even though they bear semblance with the wider Niger Delta issues earlier canvassed.

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“In the wake of the Ijaw/Itsekiri threats to shutdown oil operations, leading to more ethnic groups joining the protests/threats, Otuaro displayed foresight in earlier appealing to Ijaw/Itsekiri oil communities to consider win-win option of dialogue which he later extended to the other protesting ethnic groups still within Delta State.

“The media reports are there. The dialogue option averted possible military collision with the oil communities that would have hurt the state/national economy, caused destruction of communities and several deaths of defenceless citizens and huge humanitarian crises amongst others, as happened before in Otuaro’s native Gbaramatu Kingdom”, Custom said.

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Custom was further incensed with Ozobo who reportedly said “any government representative cannot truly speak for the people of the Niger Delta because they are part of the multiple problems in the Niger Delta”.

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“The impression created by IPDI’s Ozobo that veterans in the Ijaw/Niger Delta struggle, like Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, cannot truly speak or advance the interests of the people when in  government is an insult to likes of Nelson Mandela, Governor Douye Diri, Chief Edwin Clark and other leaders, as it means that all of these and others who promoted the people’s interests could never advance same when in government.

“Indeed, Ozobo, a failed aspirant to the Delta State House of Assembly, even shot himself in the foot by his reckless statement. Is Ozobo, who claims to be a rights activist, saying it is not possible for him to speak for and advance the people’s interests when elected?”, Custom asked.

He continues, “It should be noted that long before the creation of PANDEF in October 7, 2016, Otuaro as Deputy Governor and chair of Delta State Advocacy Committee Against Vandalism of Oil and Gas Facilities, toured the state’s creeks in several Ijaw kingdoms and Itsekiri land in May 2016 to talk to oil communities to guard oil facilities which militants had bombarded–reducing the oil economy of the nation to recession.

“We task the Okowa/Otuaro-led Delta State government to continue to support the growth of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, sustain its ongoing roads/bridge infrastructure drive in Warri South-West, Warri North, Burutu, Bomadi and other LGAs and indeed continue liaising with the FG to ensure completion of the Escravos Power project as template for lighting up Niger Delta communities, and not allow any person throw spanner in the works”, Custom pleaded.

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READ ALSO: Stop Destroying Niger Delta Environment, Ijaw Elders Warn

Appealing to Otuaro to continue being Niger Delta Peace Ambassador, the BPR  Boss tasked Ozobo “to reach out and accord respect to those in the struggle before him  so as to remain focused”.

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Mother Of Five Jailed For Forging Late Abba Kyari’s Signature

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A mother of five, Ramat Mba, has been sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, Abuja, for her involvement in an employment scam.

Ramat who was also found guilty of forging the signature of the late Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, was arraigned before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on a 5-count bordering on cheating, fraud and forgery, contrary to Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Sections 320(b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

She reportedly committed the offence sometime in 2020 when she collected N4.5 million from several job seekers, promising to secure jobs for them with the ICPC and National Air Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

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Also, the documentary evidence tendered showed that the convict fraudulently forged the letterhead of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Buhari and his signature. The letter, addressed to the ICPC Chairman, was a request for the recruitment of three individuals by the commission.

However, the late CoS, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as an exhibit, distanced himself or his office from authorising the letter.

Commenting on the sentencing, spokesperson for the ICPC, Demola Bakare said;

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READ ALSO: Doctor, Nurses Detained Over Missing Placenta, Umbilical Cord

“The trial judge, Justice Muhammad, in his judgment on May 9, 2024, convicted the mother of five children on counts 1, 2, 3 and 5 that border on cheating and forgery, while she was discharged on count 4 which borders on felony.

“Justice Muhammad, during the sentencing on Thursday, pronounced a six-month jail term or N100,000 option of fine on counts 1, 2 and 3 on the convict.

“The presiding judge, who stressed the status of the convict as a first-time offender and a mother, also sentenced her to one-year imprisonment or N150,000 option on fine on count 5 which borders on forgery.”

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Police Dismiss Inspector For N29.8m Theft, Kidnapping

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The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed one of its officers identified as Adabo Mohammed for criminal conspiracy and armed robbery, among others.

Mohammed, who was an Inspector, alongside five others was said to be a member of an armed robbery gang allegedly responsible for the stealing of N29.8 million from a victim in Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory.

This was disclosed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement issued at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Friday.

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The statement, titled, ‘Police speak tough on indiscipline, misconduct,’ noted that in a move to uphold professional standards within the Force, the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, stressed the Force’s intolerance to any form of indiscipline.

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The statement read partly, “In a decisive move to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity within the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has emphasised his administration’s zero-tolerance policy towards any form of indiscipline. He stressed that the mandate of the police is to serve and protect with honour and integrity, and as such all breaches of the core values of the NPF will be met with decisive action to maintain public trust and ensure justice.

“In line with this policy, all cases reported against personnel have been creditably attended to, and justice has been done appropriately. Many of the erring officers have been sanctioned, while some cases are still at the orderly room trial level, and will soon be concluded.

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“For instance, a police inspector has been dismissed from service while three others were demoted to their previous ranks following thorough investigations which confirmed their involvement in various acts of indiscipline/crime.”

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Adejobi added, “One Inspector Adabo Mohammed was dismissed for the offences of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery/kidnapping, and corrupt practice. The dismissed officer, along with five others were members of an armed robbery gang responsible for the robbery of the sum of N29.8 million from a victim in Gwagwalada, FCT as well as the kidnap of one Ikechukwu Emmanuel Okafor in Tunga Manje, and the collection of ransom sum of N4.4m. The ex-officer has been charged to court accordingly.

“Similarly, the trio of Inspectors Osagie Efford, Semiu Agbekin, and Francis Ahuen, attached to the Special Tactical Squad (STS), have been demoted to their previous rank of Sergeant for the extortion of some motorists in Abuja. The trio intercepted an unregistered Mercedes Benz at Gwarinpa, Abuja, and forced the occupants to part with the total sum of N29.4m.

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“The matter when reported by one Harrison Gwamnishu (#HarrisonBBi18) via the social media platform ‘X’, was taken up and properly investigated. While the monies have been returned to the complainants, the officers were subjected to orderly room trial in line with extant laws, and have been demoted.”

The FPRO noted that some senior officers have “been subjected to the Force Disciplinary Committee hearings” to “scrutinise and address allegations of misconduct against higher-ranking officers of the Force.”

He assured the public that “these measures are taken with the utmost seriousness and are integral to restoring and maintaining their trust. He re-emphasised that the NPF is dedicated to fostering a culture of accountability and respect within all ranks to ensure that police officers serve with integrity.”

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Doctor, Nurses Detained Over Missing Placenta, Umbilical Cord

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The Kwara State Police Command has arrested medical staff from the Government Cottage Hospital in Iloffa town, located in the Oke-Ero local government area of the state, over the missing umbilical cord and placenta of a newborn baby.

A new mum, identified as Mrs. Williams C.B.A., raised the alarm about the missing placenta and umbilical cord following the delivery of her baby last Sunday.

Subsequently, police launched an investigation.

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About five suspected health workers are being detained by the General Investigation Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department of the police command in Ilorin.

Kwara doctor and nurses detained over missing placenta and umbilical cord.

The matter was brought to the police headquarters in Ilorin for further investigation when efforts to unravel the mystery at various levels of the local government failed.

The investigation also found that it took the concerted efforts of elders from the Odo-Owa community to calm the frayed nerves of restive youths, who suspected foul play as they were about to burn down the hospital over the incident.

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The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Kwara State Police Command, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the development and the arrest of the suspects, saying that investigation had already commenced.

Speaking with journalists, the nursing mother of the newborn baby, who teaches the English Language in the Orofa High School, Odo-Owa, narrated her ordeal.

She said: “I got to the Cottage hospital some minutes past 1:00 pm on Sunday and told the particular nurse I met on duty that I was having contraptions. She was the one who attended to me after confirming that I was truly in labour.

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“She took me into the labour room and asked me to wait because I still have more time. Not quite long after I came, when the doctor also came in. At about some minutes to 5pm the doctor asked the nurse to usher me into labour room again that he wanted to check how close the baby was.

“He then asked that a drip be fixed on me, and at about some minutes past 6:00 pm, the labour started and I delivered the baby around some minutes to 7pm.

“Three women were present, two of them are nurses while one is a Ward attendant.

“In the course of the delivery, it was one Nurse Alabi that took the delivery and Nurse Adeloye and the Ward Attendant identified as Mrs Toyin. I don’t know her surname Those were the three people present.

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“Lest I forget, there are two missing items inside the nylon; the Umbilical cord and the placenta.

“Also, while they were taking the delivery, a particular woman came and said that she was supposed to be on duty that day, that she took permission that she wanted to travel that she was just returning. She was also there during the delivery which makes the number of those present to be four women in all. She was also later invited by the police.

“Later the doctor joined them. He was not fully involved. He was just coming and going. The delivery was not done in his presence.

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“Nurse Alabi, who took the delivery was the one who took the Umbilical cord and the placenta and dropped them inside a nylon that has the inscription name of the hospital and then dropped the nylon inside a carton placed right beside the delivery couch.

“As soon as that was done,they cleaned the baby and myself up and Nurse Adeloye ushered me into the main ward. The baby was placed beside me and I wasn’t feeling too well.

“Not long after that,Mrs Toyin brought in my belongings from the labour room which were two bags and placed them beside the bed.

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“I didn’t ask her about the contents of the bags because I thought the nylon of the placenta and the Umbilical cord was included in one of my bags .

“Very early the following morning when I woke up I remembered the placenta, when I looked around I didn’t see any of the Nurses that attended to me , probably they have gone home.

“When I discovered that the placenta was missing, I called a particular woman, also a ward maid but not among those who took my delivery in the night shift.

“When I told her, she said ‘Haaa’ that we should go together to the labour room which we did. When we got there the nylon inside which the placenta was kept was no longer there, likewise the carton too.”

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She said she raised the alarm after the doctor and nurses who delivered the baby failed to produce the placenta and umbilical cord.

Some of their staff started telling me they’re sorry that there was a mistake. The attendant said she had thrown the placenta inside a pit but they could not find it suggesting a dog might have eaten it.

“That was When I flared up with some members of my church who were also present that it’s not possible that they just have to present the placenta.”

Mrs Williams’ father, Mr Rufus Sanya, said he suspected foul play.

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“How could an umbilical cord and a placenta of a new baby be missing when we all know the implication?

“I urge the police to do a thorough investigation and unravel the mystery behind this disappearance. That is only when justice would be said to have been served and we would be at peace with ourselves,” he said.

 

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