Metro

Protests In Bayelsa As Govt Relocates RDA Headquarters From Wike’s Ally’s Community

Published

7 months ago

April 21, 2025

Protests have erupted in Bayelsa State over the state government’s relocation of Kolo Creek Rural Development Authority (RDA) headquarters from Kolo community to Emeyal community, both in Ogbia Local Government Area.

Kolo community is the hometown of Mr George Turnah, a former aide of Governor Douye Diri, who switched loyalty to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, after falling out with Governor Douye Diri.

The governor and Turnah, who is the lead Convener of ‘New Associates’, a political group loyal to Wike, have been involved in heated exchange of words in the recent past over the plan to host rally in support of President Bola Tinubu and Wike in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Kolo Creek RDA was one of the unrecognised local government areas created by the former governor of the state, Chief Solomon Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, in 2000.

However, the current controversy, which had sparked protests by the people of Kolo community, was the decision by the state government to relocate the RDA local government headquarters to Emeyal II ahead of the planned creation of more local government areas in Bayelsa State.

The people had denounced the relocation, citing the ongoing rift between Turnah and Diri as the reason for the decision.

According to the people, the decision to marginalise the people of Kolo community because of the politics of Turnah was in bad faith, according to Daily Trust.

They noted that discreet moves by the state government to approach the National Assembly to create a full-fledged local government named Ogbia North Local Government Local Area from the existing Kolo RDA and site its headquarters in Emeyal II instead of the Kolo community, which is the headquarters of Ogbia constituency III, will trigger avoidable crisis.

Chief Solomon Ederi Aginaye, 1st Deputy Agholo, King of Kolo Kingdom, declared that the people, through protest, have expressed their grievances over the attempt to shortchange them.

According to him, the people are disturbed because their interest was not taken into consideration by those who have made up their minds to ‘’gang up against Kolo”.

He lamented that since Kolo community supported the governorship ambition of Senator Douye for his first and second term, the Kolo community has not benefitted in terms of projects and appointments.

Chief Aginaye appealed to Diri to resist the temptation to allow his interest to override the interest of the state.

He said: “The people are calling on President Bola Tinubu, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas and Wike to stop the evil orchestration by the Diri administration against peace loving people of Kolo and reinstate Kolo as the headquarters of Kolo Creek RDA as a full-fledged local government area which has now been fraudulently renamed Ogbia North Local Government Area in the proposal submitted to the National Assembly’’

Governor Diri, had in a meeting with representatives of Kolo and Emeyal communities in Government House last weekend, disclosed that the meeting was called to ensure that there was law and order in Ogbia Constituency III following the disagreement about what he called the perceived relocation of the headquarters of Kolo Creek Local Government Area from Kolo community to Emeyal II.

Diri, who insisted that Kolo remains the headquarters of the RDA, explained that the notice for the creation of new local government areas from the Federal Government was received late, leaving the state government with a very short time to make a decision.

He emphasised that councils were yet to be created, stressing that historically, no civilian administration has been able to create local government areas.

Metro

EFCC Arraigns Three Company Staff For Alleged Fraud Of ₦174m

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Uyo Zonal Directorate, has arraigned Akaninyene Enefiok Archibong, Sylvanus Edet Akpan, and Glory Enefiok Archibong before Justice Maurine Onyetenu of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday said they were arraigned on Friday, November 7, 2025 on twenty-two count charges bordering on stealing, conspiracy, money laundering and criminal diversion to the tune of ₦174,226,610 (One hundred and Seventy-four million, Two hundred and Twenty-six thousand, Six hundred and ten Naira).

He said, “One of the charges reads: “That you, Akaninyene Enefiok Archibong sometime between January and December 2022, in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently took possession of the sum of ₦58,600,500.00 through your First Bank account number 3055162976, knowing that the money formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: stealing by conversion, contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”

Metro

Man Axed To Death By Lover’s Children, Friends In Delta

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2025

Editor

A man identified as Rossy Omatseye has been attacked and axed to death by the children and friends of his lover in Orerokpe Community, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State.

The incident occurred on Monday, November 10, according to DAILY POST.

It was learnt that the deceased and his lover had an argument which led to his attack and death.

When the children of his lover heard of the argument between him and their mother, they mobilized their friends and went to his house where they attacked and axed him to death on the spot.

The deceased family members who are from Ekpan Community in Uvwie Local Government Area mobilized with their friends to avenge the death of their brother in Orerokpe Community.

The incident caused serious tension but the Police has brought the matter under control.

Although our sources confirmed the violence, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, is yet to confirm the incident as requested by our correspondent in Warri.

Metro

Four Sentenced To Death Over Kano Garage Owner’s Murder

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2025

Editor

A Kano State High Court has sentenced four men to death by hanging for the murder of Rilwanu Ilyasu, known as Nanu, a mechanic who ran a garage at Farawa Layout in Kano.

The accused are Abubakar Sadiq (alias Alhaji Sallari), Abdulmajid Jibrin, Nasiru Sani, and Yusuf Sani.

Both were found guilty of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide under Sections 97 and 221(b) of the Penal Code. Two other suspects, Nura Farin Boss and Dan Bayo, are still at large.

Barrister Safiya Yalwati, leading the prosecution, said the attack happened on the night of April 13, 2016, when the defendants entered Ilyasu’s home armed with an axe and other deadly weapons.

She added that the assault was motivated by suspicions that Ilyasu had tipped off NDLEA operatives, leading to the arrest of the first defendant and the seizure of illicit drugs and N27,000.

The attack left Ilyasu with fatal injuries. The prosecution called eight witnesses and presented key exhibits, including the murder weapon.

After reviewing the evidence, the court sentenced the four men to death by hanging.

Reacting to the ruling, the Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Maude Kabir SAN, through his media aide Abubakar Tijjani Ibrahim, said the judgment reeflects the unwavering commitment of the Kano State Ministry of Justice to ensuring that justice is served in accordance with the law.