Metro

Rivers Women Walk Out On Ibas’ Wife, Chant ‘We Want Fubara’

Published

2 months ago

May 2, 2025

Hundreds of women in Rivers State on Friday staged a walkout during an empowerment programme in Port Harcourt, demanding to be addressed by either the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, or the wife of the state governor, Lady Valerie Sim-Fubara.

The event, held at the EUI Event Centre in GRA, Port Harcourt, was part of the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme organised by the office of the First Lady of Nigeria.

It was meant to benefit 500 women in the state with various empowerment items.

Expecting the physical presence of the First Lady, the women — many dressed in traditional double wrappers—gathered in anticipation.

However, tension rose when Dr Theresa Ibas, wife of the State Sole Administrator, was invited to address the crowd in place of Tinubu.

The women began chanting, “We want SIM!” and “We want Valerie Fubara!” in reference to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his wife, whom they identified as the legitimate First Lady of the state.

They added, “We don’t know Ibas. Tinunu is our President, and our governor is Sim Fubara.”

Some of the protesting women at the empowerment programme in Port Harcourt on Friday, May 2, 2025, before the walkout.

Speaking to newsmen, one of the women said, “We were told the First Lady of Nigeria would be here. If not her, then the wife of our governor, Lady Valerie Sim-Fubara, should speak to us.

“Not someone representing someone who doesn’t represent us.”

Another protester, Favour Ekpeye, clarified that the women’s action was not a rejection of the President’s wife but rather a protest against the substitution.

She explained that they staged a walkout because they were expecting the wife of the President to address them and not the wife of the sole administrator.

Ekpeye stated, “The propaganda that we rejected the wife of the president is not true.

“We were told to come and welcome Her Excellency Senator Remi Tinubu, and we dressed up. See me with my double wrapper.

“We were so happy to welcome Her Excellency because we appreciate her good deeds to us with the empowerment programmes.

“So we stood up and left because Rivers women, we are not fragile. We have a governor that we love, and we support our governor.”

Some of the protesting women at the empowerment programme in Port Harcourt on Friday, May 2, 2025, before the walkout.
She added, “We have a President that we support and we have our mummy of the nation that we support for empowering women in the nation that we so love that we support.”

Efforts by the organisers to pacify the agitated crowd were unsuccessful, as the women continued chanting and gradually exited the venue.

Metro

JUST IN: Gunmen Kill Policeman, Abduct Other In Imo

Published

18 hours ago

July 7, 2025

Editor

Gunmen launched a deadly attack on a police patrol team in Imo State on Sunday, resulting in the death of a police constable and the reported abduction of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

The Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident on Monday and has launched a manhunt to apprehend those responsible.

The incident occurred around 9:00 a.m. near Finas Gas Station, along the Okigwe-Umuahia Road, specifically in the Old Gariki area of Okigwe, which sources described as a “dangerous zone.”

During the ambush, Police Constable Oluebube was fatally shot, and his service rifle was stolen by the attackers.

ASP Casmir, who was leading the patrol team, has been missing since the attack, leading to fears that he may have been abducted and possibly killed. Other members of his team managed to return to base with their rifles and are currently receiving medical attention.

Police spokesman Henry Okoye stated that preliminary findings suggest the attackers are affiliated with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

“An intense operation is ongoing to apprehend the miscreants responsible for the attack,” Okoye said. He added, “We are aware that some may question why IPOB is being mentioned, but we cannot ignore confessional statements by suspects who openly associate their actions with the group. As a law enforcement agency, it is our duty to report facts as uncovered during investigations.”

Metro

Police Declare Two Wanted Over Attack On Ahoada-East LGA Administrator, Theft

Published

1 day ago

July 6, 2025

Editor

The Rivers State Police Command has declared two top officials of the Ahoada-East Local Government Area wanted over their alleged involvement in the brutal attack on the LGA’s Sole Administrator, Hon. Goodluck Iheanachor.

Declared wanted are Mr. Hector Ekakita, Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Ahoada-East LGA, and Mr. Aloni Olodi, Chief of Staff (COS) of the LGA.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the police said the duo is wanted for alleged criminal conspiracy, stealing, assault occasioning harm, and attempted murder. The offenses stem from a violent incident that occurred on June 20, 2025, at the Ahoada-East Council Secretariat.

According to the statement, Ekakita and Olodi, alongside a group of about 30 others, allegedly conspired to assault the Sole Administrator, inflicted injuries on him, forcibly obtained his signature under duress, stole his mobile phones and sensitive documents, and carted away both personal and official property from his office.

The police revealed that despite repeated invitations, the suspects have failed to appear for questioning, prompting the declaration.

“The Rivers State Police Command has declared the following individuals wanted… Mr. Hector Ekakita – Chief Security Officer (CSO), Ahoada-East LGA, and Mr. Aloni Olodi – Chief of Staff (COS), Ahoada-East LGA,” the statement read.

“Their actions resulted in bodily harm to the administrator, who continues to receive medical treatment.”

The Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, psc, mnips, has urged the suspects to report to the Police State Headquarters on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, without further delay.

He also warned that anyone found aiding or shielding the suspects would face the full weight of the law.

“The Rivers State Police Command remains steadfast in its commitment to justice and maintaining public peace and safety,” the statement concluded.
(VANGUARD)

Metro

10 Die In Ogun Night Bus Crash

Published

2 days ago

July 6, 2025

Editor

No fewer than 10 persons have been confirmed dead, while three others sustained injuries in a lone crash involving a Mitsubishi bus on the Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan Expressway.

Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, spokesperson for the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) in Ogun, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday.

Akinbiyi said the accident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on Friday at Ome Bridge, Awa, along Ijebu-Ode–Ibadan highway in Ijebu North Local Government Area.

He stated that the lone crash involved a Mitsubishi bus, registration number EJ829-LSR, which was conveying 15 passengers at the time.

According to Akinbiyi, seven male and three female passengers died. Three others were injured, while a toddler and one adult escaped unhurt.

He said preliminary findings indicate that overspeeding and wrongful overtaking led to the accident.

“Eyewitnesses said the driver wrongly overtook another vehicle at high speed and could not regain control after noticing an oncoming vehicle.

“The driver veered off the road, hit an abandoned gravel pile beside the bridge, and plunged the vehicle into the river,” Akinbiyi explained.

He said the deceased were taken to Ijebu-Ode General Hospital’s morgue, while the injured were also being treated at the same facility.

The spokesperson urged motorists to avoid speeding and to refrain from travelling at night, stressing the importance of road safety at all times.