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PIB: INC Blows Hot, Says ‘We Can’t Contain Recourse To Restiveness’

Published

3 years ago

July 16, 2021

Editor

Following the recently passed Petroleum Industrial Bill wherein 3 percent was allocated as operating expenditure of oil firms to host communities, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) has expressed fear that Ijaw leaders and elders may no long promise or guarantee peace as regards multinational oil exploration in Ijaw land.

The INC reiterated that the arbitrary distortion of the definition of host communities in the PIB remains totally unacceptable to the Ijaw nation.

A statement signed by INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, copy of which was obtained by INFO DAILY said leadership of the Ijaw nation have been finding it difficult to calm nerves of the people in the oil producing area due to oppression from some few persons who preside over their God-given resources, saying this action of the National Assembly would further aggravate things.

“We are finding it difficult to calm down the nerves of our people whose anger is daily heightened by the unrelenting oppressive demeanour of those presiding over the fortunes of our God-given resources.

“Whereas we thought the PIB offered a veritable opportunity for the leadership to redress and pacify our people by hearkening to our petitions and cries of marginalization and underdevelopment, the recent decision by the Senate of the Federal Republic to allocate a paltry 3% to the Host Communities Trust Fund has poured fuel on an already combustible situation.

“Since our appeal as the leadership of the Ijaw nation appears to have fallen on deaf ears, we cannot promise or guarantee that we shall be able to contain any recourse to restiveness that could arise in Ijaw land,” he declared.

The INC President who lamented that in spite of bearing the burdens of sustaining the country, the Ijaw speaking people have experienced irreparable and unimaginable losses of their sources of livelihood, said as a people, they would continue to condemn any policy that attempts to make what duly belongs to the Ijaw nation as if it belong to everybody.

He said, “The Ijaw nation shall continue to condemn any policy that attempts to make what duly belongs to us as belonging to everybody and anybody without first respecting our right to ownership as we have at no time assumed ownership and control over what belongs to others.

“The walkout by our patriotic Senators further expresses our disillusionment over the continued unsavory treatment meted against the over 27 million Ijaw people who, in spite of bearing the burdens of sustaining this country, have experienced irreparable and unimaginable losses of their sources of livelihood as they continue to suffer the pollution of their ecosystem on account of the activities of insensitive multinational oil companies without appropriate remediation as well as existential threats in the hands of the Nigerian state.”

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Man, 38 Escapes Assassination Attempt In Benin

Published

10 months ago

July 22, 2023

Editor

Innocent Omoruyi

By Omokha Andrew

A 38-year-old activist, Innocent Omoruyi, narrowly escaped assassination in the early hours of Wednesday, July 19, 2023 as his residence at Obe Community,Sapele Road in Benin city was attacked by yet to be identified gun men.

The attack which eye witnesses say was viciously executed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 bore the markings of a dreaded cult group terrorizing Benin City, the state capital.

The Obe, Sapale Road incident, it was learnt, happened soon after Omoruyi left the house to attend to matters of interest some few metres away from his home.

The assailants were said to have shot sporadically in their frustration as residents scampered for safety.

However, Omoruyi escaped unharmed.

One of the eye witnesses who craved anonymity said: “The felons apparently went for the kill, weilding guns and other dangerous weapons. “We are shocked that they didn’t see Innocent Omoruyi who was just some few metres away from home when they arrived”.

“How that happened, only God knows and it was obvious that it wasn’t his time to die yet and just before that not long ago his business place on Lagos Street, Benin City was burnt down in the middle of the night by unknown arsonists.

“This sequence of events is not ordinary. We know it’s politically motivated due to the role he played in the last general elections. He has been advised to go into hiding at the moment for his personal safety”, he concluded.

When contacted, the police Public Relations Officer Chidi Nwabuzor said he was yet to get any information as regards the latest incident. He promised to feed our correspondent with relevant details as soon as they become handy.

Our information source however revealed that the matter has already been incidented at the Love World Police station on Sapele Road, Benin city.

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Nigeria To Earn Over $4bn Revenue As FEC Okays Concession Of Abuja, Kano Airports

Published

12 months ago

May 18, 2023

Editor

Nigeria will earn over $4 billion in nominal revenue as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday okayed the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to the Corporacion American Airport Consortium, a Luxembourg-based company.

James Odaudu, the Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to him, the Council also approved that the Federal Ministry of Aviation would be renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace.

The statement noted that the company would make combined upfront payments of $8.5 million for the concession of NAIA and MAKIA.

He added that the development would spur evidential growth within the Nigerian aviation industry.

“In alignment with the Aviation Roadmap, approved by Mr President on 18th October 2016, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace is delighted to inform all stakeholders, both local and international, and the media, that the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano has been approved by the Federal Executive Council,” the statement said.

In December 2022 and January 2023, Corporacion American Airport Consortium was announced as the preferred bidder for the airport’s concession after scaling through a series of evaluations of technical and financial bids.

Nominal revenues mean income not adjusted for inflation and decreasing purchasing power.

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Russia Expelled From Council Of Europe Amid War With Ukraine

Published

2 years ago

March 16, 2022

Editor

The Council of Europe says it has expelled Russia with immediate effect after 26 years of membership because of the Ukraine war.

The Committee of Ministers took the decision in a special session, the rights body announced in the French city of Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Earlier, Russia had already declared its withdrawal from the Council of Europe after it had taken steps to exclude it.

On Tuesday evening, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted unanimously in favour of Russia’s exclusion.

Russia joined the Council of Europe on Feb. 28, 1996.

Together with the formal notification of the withdrawal, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe also received information from the Russian Federation on Tuesday about its intention to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the leaders of the Council of Europe once again condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

They expressed their solidarity with the Russian people, who continue to belong to the European family and share its values.

The body said it would continue to stand by Ukraine in the fight against the aggressor.

The Council of Europe monitors the observance of human rights in its 46 member states and is not part of the European Union.

The body reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago by suspending Russia’s membership, this decision was considered historic.