Awajis George News

The South South Zonal Director of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa has disclosed that the commission have secure fourteen conviction of persons in their fight against corruption within few months. Bawa who is the Deputy Chief Detective Superintendent said the breakthrough was based on the level of investigation and professionalism put at work by officials of the commission. Bawa who disclosed these when Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Marshall Israel led officials of his commission on a working visit to the EFCC office in Port Harcourt said the commission depends their investigation on the court. The South South Zonal Director of EFCC while addressing at the meeting, said the commission is faced with regular issue of oil bunkery, threatening that the commission under his watch will not rest in fighting it just as he appeal with the PCC to assist in sensitizing the public against oil bunkery in the state. Bawa who noted

The Rivers state House of Assembly has constituted an Adhoc committee to look into the activities of OML 52 in Oyorokoto fishing settlement Andoni local government area over the absence of an MOU in the area to avert eminent crisis . This follow a petition submitted by the lawmakers representing Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government area Christian Ahiuakwo on behalf of the petitioners who are leaders of the communities . Christian Ahiakwo said the needful should be done to alleviate the sufferings of the people of the area.

The Nigeria Immigration Service Rivers State Command has commenced E- Registration for all migrants in the state. Declaring the exercise open Comptroller of Immigration Rivers State command Mr. Segun Adegoke said the benefits of the exercise to the development and economy of Rivers State can not be overemphasized as it would enhance the security architecture of the state and the country at large. Mr. Adegoke added that the exercise would aids the identification and documentation of all migrants including ECOWAS nationals living in Rivers State. Comptroller Adegoke stressed that the exercise is compulsory for all migrants in the state, hence persons who provide accommodation to the migrants such as landlords and hoteliers will be liable for the non-compliance by an migrant especially after the amnesty which will last for a period of 6 months as an incentive for migrants who have over stayed in the country. Representative of the comptroller General of Benin Republic in Rivers Stat

Police in Rivers State earlier today killed three suspected criminals terrorizing Rumuola and ,GRA axis of Port Harcourt. The men and officers of the Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad ,SARS, following a tip tracked down the criminals around Salvation Ministries church, GRA. An eye witness who refused to be recorded told our correspondent that they heard gun shots around the church junction and only to discover that the boys were killed inside a red Mazda car at the center of the road with trace of bullets on it. The eye witness also said one of the suspects who survived was taken for further investigation. The police recovered different forms of fire arms in the possession of the suspects. Meanwhile, Police Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State command Mr Nnamdi Omoni is yet to react on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress have reacted to the ministerial nomination of Hon. Rotimi Amaechi by President Muhammadu Buhari and cleared by the Senate to serve as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the second term cabinet of the President . State publicity Secretary of the party ,Mr. Chris Finebone told our correspondent that the nomination of Hon.Ameachi is not a surprise,following the numerous achievement recorded in the transportation ministry during the first tenure of the president. Mr. Finebone described the minister as a focused and innovative Rivers man that initiated and execute many projects in the transportation sector for the past 4years. The image maker of the party, prayed that the Honourable minister be return to the ministry of transportation to complete the ardous task of modernising and lifting the nation’s transportation sector to the next level.

About eight hundred women in Rivers State have been trained on small scale business entreprise to become investors. At the training organized by a Non-Governmental Organisation, Impact Her, wife of the Rivers State Governor, Justice Suzzette Wike, enjoined women to seize the opportunity to make themselves entrepreneurs. Justice Wike said the training would afford the women opportunities to access funds for their various businesses. Permanent secretary, State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Attosemi Teetito said the training has equipped the women with the right knowledge in developing their entrepreneurial skills. Convener of the programme, Miss. Efe Ukala said ImpactHER is an initiative born out of passion to bridge gender business-financing gap and help the African female entrepreneurs realize their economic potential. Two beneficiaries, Mrs. Confidence Olayemi and Mrs. Loretta Emeka, told our correspondent, that the training had equipped them with skills on how to package

The Rivers State Police command says about two thousand seven hundred and ninety three persons applied for recruitment into the force in Rivers state. The application is for the two hundred and twenty slots allocated to Rivers state for recruitment. Police public Relations Officer, Rivers State command, Mr.Nnamdi Omoni in an interview with our correspondent in Port Harcourt assured applicants that the slots allocated to the State would be filled mainly by Rivers people. Mr. Omoni also said that another recruitment exercise would soon be launched hence those that apply and were not shortlisted to participate in the forthcoming examination could take advantage of the next batch. On the recent kidnapped along Elele- Owerri Road, the image maker of the command said efforts were been intensified to ensure the rescue of the victims unhurt. Mr. Omoni however appealed to members of the public to avail the command with useful information that can lead to the arrest of the hoodlums.

About twenty five women and youths in Rivers State have been trained on Food Processing and Fabrication . The training by National Board for Technology Incubation, an agency of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, is an effort to achieve skills transfer and reduce the rate of unemployment. At the opening of the five-day training, Director, Post Incubation and Extension Services of the board, Dr. John Oni, representing Director General NBTI; Engineer Jibrin Mohammed said the training was to empower women and youths in order to reduced the high level of poverty in the society. He also said the program would help in the reduction of crime rate in the Nation. One of the resource persons, Mrs. Emily Emiri Who took the trainees on cassava processing, said many products could be extracted from cassava. One of the beneficiaries of the empowerment programme ,Mrs.Beauty Talbort said the program has equipped her with new skills to boost her income. Our correspondent repo

Commercial bus and Taxi drivers plying Elele-Omudioga- Omoku route in conjunction with members of National Road Transport Worker in Elele have staged a protest over alleged continues attacks and killing of drivers and passengers by suspected criminals. Our correspondent reports that the latest protest is in reaction to the attack of a driver identified as Alfred Igwe-Amadi leading to the dead of his passenger who died at the spot early hours of today. Some of the protesters who spoke to our correspondent complained of increase insecurity along the axis of the road especially since the announcement of the withdrawal of Onelga Security and Peace Advisory Committee OSPAC from the area by the state government. The protesters including the Park Manager and Vice Chairman of the Union said they suffer so much in the hands of criminals who attack them at gunpoint, kill drivers and passengers and as well steal their belonging including their cars without interference from security opera

Youths from Choba Community in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State have reacted to the recent killing of the Chairman of Community Development Committee and Chief Priest leading to mass arrest especially of the youths by security operatives. Our correspondent who visited the community gathered from some residents that some buildings belonging to members of the Choba youth council including the Chairman, Francis Ihunda, were destroyed by some men in uniform who were allegedly led by some indigenes of the community. The Spokesman of the Youth, Chimenem Odongweru who spoke to our correspondent from his hideout denied any link of the leadership of the Choba youth in the killings going on in the community but blamed the leadership style of the chiefs and elites who he accused of chasing shadows rather than fight insecurity in the community. Mr. Odongweru while expressing worries that the traditional institution and community elites have failed in bringing peace a

The people of Kula kingdom in Akuku Toru Local Government Area are demanding that SPDC operating the Belema Flow station and the gas injection/booster plant in the OML 25 leave their area. The people decried negligence of the host communities by Shell Petroleum Development Company. Paramount Ruler Kula community King Kroma Eleki who spoke with Newsmen at a world Press conference in Kula said that the company has not done anything tangible for the host communities. Also speaking, spokesman Offoinama a co- host community to the Belema Flow Station chief Ibiosiya Nath-Sukubo said the ecological and aquatic devastation caused by oil and gas exploration has left the community with no source of income. On his part,representative Belema community, Alabo Filla Okoye- Davies explained that for almost forty years of Shell operation in the area the company has not only failed in discharging its cooperate social responsibilities ,but has also destroyed the aquatic lives by their conti

The Rivers State Police command has paraded fifteen suspected criminals involved in various offenses. Commissioner of Police, Mr Mustapha Dandaura while briefing Newsmen at the Command headquarters in Port Harcourt said Men of the IGP monitoring unit in a sting operation led by the commander Alex Udeze raided a black spot at Rumuodogo in Emohua Local Government Area engaged hoodlums in a fierce gun battle where two of the suspected criminals sustained serious injuries and were later confirmed death. Mr. Dandaura also said operatives of the Anti- kidnapping unit led by Commander Edward Shadare stormed a forest in Igbo Etche and rescued one Oluchi Monday who was abducted along Elele Ubima road. He said exhibits recovered from the suspects include one AK 47 Rifle, two locally made short guns, two hundred and ten live ammunition and ten cartridges. The Commissioner of Police also confirmed the destruction of kidnappers camp at Omerelu in Ikwerre Local Government Area by men of

Reports say a yet to be identified surveillance team has come to the rescue of some passengers whose valuables were almost looted by some armed men along Kula River in Akuku Toru local government area. Our correspondent gathered that about 20 passengers were on their way to Nembe before their boat broke down around Onongi creek on Kula waterways. One of the passengers who pleaded anonymity, while narrating the incident, said efforts were ongoing to fix their boat after it broke down at about 4:30pm on Thursday,when a group of heavily armed persons suspected to be on surveillance along the sea route in the area accosted them and sort to know what the challenge was; but surprisingly instead of offering assistance , they began to dispossess them of their valuables. He noted that it took the timely intervention of another surveillance team whose identity is yet to be known came to their rescue, and asked that every valuable taken from them by the other team be returned to them. A

The new Rivers State Commissioner of Police Mustapha Dandaura said Rivers State will no longer be conducive for criminals as crime and criminality will be brought to the barest minimum. CP Dandaura who made this known during his maiden briefing with Newsmen in PortHarcourt said criminals in the state have no option than to relocate,repent or face the wrath of the law. According to him, his mandate in the state is to fight crime to a stand still, and end kidnapping, cultism ,pipeline vandalism bedeviling the state. "I shall engage all communities in my policy strategies and bring policing to the people, I will put in place some proactive measure hence at preventing crimes, this include feasibility policing with my men,dominating the security threat and station at strategy location to embarked on regular race of identifying criminal hideouts with the view to derailing them" . He further added that his arrival will see the decimation of the criminals on the East/West road an

The burial of a youth at Nkpolu community in Obio Akpor local Government Area of Rivers State was today disrupted by some security personnel. The youth Leader of Nkpolu, Comrade Ndamati Amadi said it was some men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) that besieged the entire community and shot sporadically during the burial of the youths who died last year in a protest. Comrade Amadi who said many of the youths sustained injuries said the community is not happy that till now, the flooded state of the Nkpolu road which the youth died for has not been fixed by both the State and the federal government. Brother to the deceased Mr. Collins Woko said there was no need for the disruption of his brother’s burial as the youths were peaceful. A resident of the community who did not want her name mentioned said the security personnel also attacked people doing business in the area and tricycle riders. Our correspondent who visited the community reports that the residents scamper

A passenger boat coming from Bille kingdom in Degema local Government Area of Rivers State to Port Harcourt yesterday was attacked by unknown gunmen in military camouflage killing one passenger and injuring two. The deceased, Mr. Abraham Anthony and two injured passengers, Mr. Diepiriye Isaac and Mr. Ori-ipirite Ebi, are currently receiving treatment in a hospital in Port Harcourt. Speaking on the ugly incident, Chairman Bille council of Chiefs, Alabo Benett Okpokiye-Dokubo in an interview with Newsmen in Port Harcourt appealed to the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to come to their aid by putting in place measures that would stop the continued attack on Bille waterways. Mr. Okpokiye-Dokubo stated that after much reports by the people of the area, officers of the 29th Battalion Tactical Headquarters, Nigerian Army, came to their aid for about three weeks, but the attacks resumed shortly after the Army stopped escorting passenger boats on Bille waterways.

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has assured 2019 Batch B Corps members of his administration support during their service year to the Nation in the state. The Governor Wike who was represented by the permanent Secretary office of the secretary to the state Government,Dr. George Nweke made this known at the closing ceremony of the 2019 Batch B Corps members from the Orientation Camp in Nonwa/Gbam Tai Local Government Area. Governor Wike also charged Corps members to put in their best effort in the place of their primary assignment to ensure Rivers people feel their impact . Earlier in his speech ,State Coordinator National Youth Service Corps, NYSC; Rivers State Mr. Chinwendu Chukwu appealed to stakeholders and corps employers,especially principals of public and private schools to accept the services of the corps members posted to them. He also urged them to utilize their services efficiently to enhance the educational standard of the students in their various communities.

Federal Road Safety Corp, FRSC; in Rivers State has called on petroleum tanker drivers in the state to ensure their vehicles are in good condition to avoid fire disaster on the road. The State Sector Commander of the Corp, Mr. David Mendie made the call at a one day sensitization lecture organized by FRSC for tanker operators in the state. Speaking at the event, the sector commander FRSC Rivers State, Corp commander David Mendie said the corp is ready to help tanker drivers regulate their activities so as to curb the menace of road accident in the state. Corp Commander David urged them to ensure that they drive within the speed limit, as the federal government has given a deadline for any truck operating without speed limit device. Also speaking, Treasurer Port Harcourt Refinery, Comrade Princewill Dickens who was present at the lecture, commended FSRC for educating tanker drivers on road worthiness. He stated that his company under the auspices of the FRSC is also educating

Muslim community in Rivers state have reacted to Governor Nyesom Wike's recent statement that Rivers state is 100% a Christian state . State Secretary, National Council Of Muslims Youth Organization,NACOMYO ; and President National Association of Ikwerre Muslims, Alhaji Akaraka Ibrahim Asuru in an interview with our correspondent said the statement of the governor Wike goes a long way to show that the governor does not posses the historical knowledge a about the existence of Islam in the state. "For the purpose of clarity and better understanding, it is pertinent to go into archive. there was the presence of Islam and Muslims in the state before the creation of Port Harcourt 1912. Even when Major Galway visited Elele in 1896, Mr A.B. Harcourt whose name was used in naming the present city of Port Harcourt, reported the presence of Muslims at Elele in large number. History has shown that Elele Central Mosque, being the oldest mosque was built before 1896. Meanwhile, Chie

As the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists , NAWOJ; Rivers State chapter celebrates her week ,more attention have been drawn to the immediate clean up of the Niger Delta region.. In her speech, wife of the Rivers State Governor , Justice Suzzette Wike who was represented by the former Public Relations officer FIDA, Adata Bio-Briggs said the consequence of environmental pollution in the Niger Delta cannot be over emphasis. Mrs. Wike stressed that women and children are the most venerable as they are affected greatly by pollution . Mrs. Wike appealed to the Federal Government to urgently address the issue of pollution in the Niger Delta as lives are lost daily in the region as a result of environmental hazard. In her keynote address former Rivers State Commissioner for Environment Professor Roseline Konya represented by secretary Rivers State Technical committee on the implementation of sooth Report, Dr. Stephen Nyenewa decried the negative impact of environmental pollu

Community policing is identified as means to curb crimes in the nation. A retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr. Paddy Ogon who spoke with our correspondent in Port Harcourt admitted that crimes are as a result of change in social strata occasioned by economic hardship Mr. Paddy Ogon a former Police Public Relation Officer of Lagos State stressed the need for community to provide the security operatives with the right information about security issues at their areas. The retired Chief Superintendent of Police pointed out the need for state police to reduce crime in and out of different states. , r.Also speaking, Mr.Eze and Mr. Terry pleaded with security agencies to protect the identities of their informants to get more useful information to curb crimes. They also urged the stakeholders to be proactive, and committed to the fight against criminal activities in the country.

The overbearing influence of the state governments is identified as inhibiting factor militating against the smooth performance of the local government councils. An associate professor of Law with the Rivers State University, Mr Ricthard Nwokocha in an interview with our correspondent stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on financial autonomy for Local Government Areas in the nation needed constitutional backing. Mr. Nwokocha stated that the state governments have no legal authority to probe federal allocations meant for the local governments. Former supervisory councilor with Port Harcourt city council, Mr. Austin Young also stressed that the local government should be fully democratized for it to be independent. He identified complete autonomy as the panacea for effective development of the local government councils.

As a way of helping in the reduction of HIV/AIDS prevalence in the state, the Rivers State Police command has inaugurated Police Action Committee on AIDS ,PACA; Speaking at the ceremony at the command headquarter in Port Harcourt, Commissioner of Police Usman Belel said the command would support the committee in the area of sensitizing men and officers on HIV issues . Rivers State chairman of PACA ASP Emenike Chinyenwa represented by 2YC PACA Mrs. Roseline Sampson also said PACA aims at sensitizing men and officers of the command not to stigmatize those living with the virus ,and also to imbibe Health seeking behaviour . On her part, Permanent Secretary Rivers State Ministry of Health Mrs. Carolina Wali said the ministry will partner the committee to reduce the burden of HIV in the State. Mrs. Wali also said that the ministry will give PACA the necessary support they need to carry out their functions. Our Correspondent reports that top police officers, Civil societ

The Rivers State police command said 9 persons have been arrested in connection with the killing of two police men yesterday at Ojoto in Diobu port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State. Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer Mr. Nnamdi Omoni told our correspondent that the bodies of the deceased officers has been deposited in a morgue for proper arrangement before they will be buried ,while investigation is ongoing to arrest more persons .

Broadcast equipment worth millions of naira has been destroyed by fire which gutted a section of the Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation also known as Radio Bayelsa in Yenagoa today. The fire completely consumed equipment in the live and recording studios, engineering and accounts departments and part of the station’s transmitter. Our Correspondent reports that Radio Bayelsa houses some broadcasting equipment including the transmitter, Automatic Voltage Regulator, Uninterruptible Power Supply, and 60 KVA generating set of Radio Nigeria, Creek FM Yenagoa According to a staff of the station, Mr. Victor Binawari the fire started at about 7.30 in the morning from an electrical spark in one of the offices. Speaking to newsmen, the General Manager of the station, Mr John Idumange, who was shocked at the extent of damage caused by the fire gawve an insight into the affected areas. Mr. Idumange who did not rule out sabotage, lamented that the station has been temporarily grounded .

Two police escorts have been shot dead by suspected armed robbers in the Ojoto area of Diobu in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State. The robbers had intercepted the vehicle escorting a huge sum of money to the bank and shot at the drivers of the vehicle conveying the money and that of the police escort. An eye witness who did not want his name mentioned narrated the incident that caused panic in the area. ''This morning within 11am some bad boys double cross two cars one carrying money,the other one two police men were inside ,the bad boys come down and shot the two police men instantly they die ,so they start shooting rapidly then they now shot the other driver on his leg,then for about 30 or 40 minutes there is no police around so people were snapping the two police men that they killed and carry their guns. Another eyewitness, Mr. Ayo Francis, said the two drivers who escaped death after being shot were rushed to a near-by clinic where they are receiving t