Awajis George News

 The Federal Road Safety Corps Rivers State command says it has began the clampdown on motorists who use invalid, unregistered vehicles number plates and old Government number plates.   Rivers State sector commander Salisu Galadunci who stated this in an interview with our corresp ondent in Port Harcourt said a special patrol team has been deployed to impound such vehicles. The sector commander maintained that no one has the right to use government number plates or colour except the Federal, state and local governments. " You can see nobody can be giving number plate carrying government colours in any case it is not allowed they are not registered ,they are fake they are getting it through the back  door. There are others, their number plate you see them using their names which they have not follow due process if anyone wants to use his name you pay extra money it will follow the normal legal process before it is produce. Those numbers plate are the ones we are waging war...

  Tragedy struck along the Tombia-Amassoma Road in Yenagoa, as a middle-aged man, identified as Mr. Patrick Markson allegedly committed suicide after killing his wife, in their residence located in the Bayelsa State capital. According reports, the late Markson, who was a civil servant with the Yenagoa Local Government Area council, allegedly hit his wife’s head with a sledge hammer while she was deep asleep and watched her bleed to death. The man reportedly aged 46 thereafter drank a poisonous substance suspected to be an insecticide and laid on the same bed close to where his dead wife was in their home at Odede Street, off Tombia -Amassoma road. According to the elder sister of the wife, Mrs. Boufuru Timipre, her sister was a gentle lady that had no time for problems. She explained that they had matrimonial issues but she has often spoken and settled both of them as husband and wife. A compound chief and the head of Aputu family, Chief Anthony Jacob, said he was shocked when he g...

 Reports say unknown gunmen early this morning  invaded Ka-Bori community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State and shot three persons. A lady who is a native of the community  told our Correspondent that the gunmen shot two women and a man . The lady who did not want her name mentioned revealed that the man and one of the women shot died immediately while the second woman shot was rushed to an undisclosed hospital where she is receiving treatment. She accused people of Kono in Boue community of being responsible for the attack. The native stated that the Police and other security agencies have moved into the community to restore normalcy but no arrest has been made. Another  resident of Bori town told our Correspondent that they started hearing gunshots around looyoo,Ka-Bori communities close to Bori town at about 6am and the shooting lasted for about thirty to thirty five minutes. He said that there are reports that two persons were shot dead while two oth...

   A High Court sitting in Kebbi State has ordered  Prince Uche Secondus to return to his position as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic party. Justice Nusirat. I. Umar gave the order in a suit brought before her in Birinin Kebbi, the state capital in case KB/AC/M. 170/2021, Justice Umar said she was satisfied after reading the affavidit of the respondents that an interim order should be granted on the purported suspension of Prince Secondus pending the determination of the case. According to the judge, the  Honourable court grants leave to the first respondent Uche Secondus to continue exercising all the constitutional powers of the office of Chairman of PDP , as enshrined in both 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended and the Peoples Democratic Party’s constitution pending the hearing and final determination of applicant’s motion on notice.  Three concerned members of the party, Yahaya Usman , Abubakar Mohammed and Bashar Suleman are the claimant...

 Report say gunmen last night shot an estate agent identified as Alex  Blaze along Afikpo/Abakilaka street,Mile 1 Diobu,PortHarcourt. A source who did not want his name mentioned told our correspondent that the four gunmen who pretended to be customers at a drinking bar in the area on sighting the estate agent  rushed him and shot him on the stomach and immediately fled the scene. We gathered that passersby and residents took him to an undisclosed hospital where he is  receiving treatment.  Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer Mr Nnamdi Omoni was yet to respond to text messages sent  on the development.  

  Tragedy struck in Ibaa community  Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State  following the killing of a member of disbanded OSPAC,local vigilante in the community, Amobi Oguzo,   twenty four hours after gunmen killed his son Prince Oguzo. We gathered that natives are fleeing the community following the killing . The General Commander of disbanded OSPAC in the community Mr Emeka Wori expressed disappointed at the killings. Mr Wori in a telephone interview with our correspondent said he can not ascertain if the hoodlums are sponsored by the politicians or the community to kill . He revealed that relatives of the suspected gunmen have deserted the village which implies they were privy to the action before it was taken by their sons. The OSPAC commander said he was at Ibaa with Divisional Police Officer of Rumuji and Army in the area as at the time of the intervention, called on members of disbanded OSPAC to be  careful of their movement and protect themse...

 Residents of Boue and Gwara in Khana local Government Area of Rivers State have deserted their communities following an invasion of the area by unknown gunmen yesterday  killing three  persons each in the two communities. A source told our Correspondent that the rampaging gunmen invaded Gwara in the morning hours and shot three persons dead  and Kono- Boue later in the afternoon and shot three persons dead while many natives fled the community. The Public Relations Officer of Community Development Committee of  Boue  Mr. Nwibakpo Golden in an interview with our Correspondent confirmed the incident. Mr Golden suggested the citing of a Police Division in the community and rehabilitation of the bad portion of the roads in the area to effectively tackle the incessant attack by gunmen. Meanwhile, the public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command Mr Nnamdi Omoni has confirmed the Cult clash in Khana where three persons were killed.  The decea...

 Some residents of Mile 2 and 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt have accused PortHarcourt Electricity Distribution Company,PHEDC; of extortion due to high estimated bills given to them. One of the resident David  Ordu said the bill brought by the distribution company was outrageous and if the company fails to review their recent policy of disconnecting residents who pay more than half of the huge estimated bill in the guise of underpayment, residents will take legal action against the company. Another  resident Mrs Pere Ebiwei  who spoke to our Correspondent said they do not understand what PHED meant by underpayment as the energy customers hardly see power supply. Mrs Ebiwei hinted that the area is considering peaceful protest to the headquarters of PHED at Moscow road to insist on provision of prepaid meter by PHED to the energy customers as a means of eradicating the estimated and over billing by the company. She  accused PHED of deliberately refusing to provide prepaid...

 The Management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education has suspended Dr Samuel Abiye of the Department of Curriculum Studies for 3 months on half salary following allegation of sexual extortion for grades from one of his female students.  The lecturer Dr Abiye was recorded by a female student who he promised to help pass his course and all other courses taught by other lecturers in their department, if she will sleep with him . Dr. Abiye directed the female student to meet him at a hotel in the area where she was to be explored sexually in exchange for grades. In the meantime, the University has directed that all courses taught by Dr. Abiye for the 1st semester of 2020/2021 be regraded through conference marking to be supervised by the Dean of Education.  While all his courses and supervises have been reassigned to other lecturers in his department. The matter has also been referred to the University Staff Disciplinary Committee for further investigation to determine ...

  The Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State,  Engr Samuel Nwanosike  has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to all trucks and vehicles parked along the Igwuruta-Airport-Omagwa Road to vacate the road. In a letter signed on behalf of the Chairman by the Council's Secretary,  Prince Lemchi Nyeche, and directed at BUA Cement Company Limited, he noted that failure to do so will warrant the Ikwerre Council authority to confiscate such trucks and charge the drivers and owners to court. Engineer Nwanosike stated that the trucks and vehicles parked along the road are posing danger to human lives and in total violation to the provisions of the Road Traffic Act, Cap 548, LFN, 2004. He advised owners and drivers of the trucks and vehicles to heed the directive and park appropriately or face the law.

High Court sitting in Degema local government area of Rivers State has restrained Prince Uche Secondus from parading himself as the National Chairman of the peoples Democratic party, PDP. The Court granted the experte order brought before it by some aggrieved members of the party. The presiding Judge, Justice O. Gbasam also approved the suspension of Mr. Secondus as a member of the party pending the hearing and  determination of motion on notice for interlocutory injunction. The development followed a suit No: PHC/2183/CS/2021 filed by Ibeawuchi Alex, Dennis Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen and Umezirike Onucha against Uche Secondus 1st defendant and the PDP 2nd defendant. The judge, after reading the affidavit in support of the motion and after hearing the submission of  Counsel to the applicants H.A. Bello,  granted the interim injunction barring Secondus from parading as the National Chairman, PDP. Judge Gbasam further granted leave to serve by substituted means the originating...

 Chairman of Andoni local government area Mr Erastus Awortu has presented official cars to his vice and the eleven councillors that make up the legislative Assembly as part of efforts to ease their movement and improve workability . The official vehicles which comprised a Venza SUV for the Vice Chairman and eleven Toyota Corolla for the Councillors were presented at the council headquarters in Ngo.  Speaker  Rivers State House of Assembly Mr Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani during  the presentation expressed sense of satisfaction and fulfilment with the performance of the Council chairman in  just sixty three days in office.  The Speaker asserted that the Erastus Awortu's administration is a new political agenda and a new leadership that is in touch with the current reality in Andoni.  On his part, Head of Service Rivers State, Mr Rufus Godwin described the gesture as historic since the creation of Andoni Local Government Area 30years ago.  Mr. Godwin said the...

A suspect Mr Ibama Zacharias from Ayama Agana in Andoni Local Government Area have been apprehended by security operatives in the area. The suspect was arrested with six outboard engines,used for fishing purposes worth ten million naira with a generating set . In an interview with Newsmen at Ngo headquarters of the local government, the suspect claimed he bought the outboard engines at Abuja waterfront in PortHarcourt. Mr Zacharias said some of the engines belonged to his father  and mother while he uses some. Speaking on the development, chairman Andoni Local Government Area Mr Erastus Awortu lauded efforts of security operatives in the area promising to support them to rid the area of criminal elements. The council boss said in conjunction with security agencies in the area acting on intelligence gathering, the suspect was arrested. The Andoni Council Chairman Mr Awortu also said the suspect has been on the watch list of security agencies base on his past criminal records.  ...

 Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the death of a final year student of Rivers State University who was shot at the school campus by a suspected cult member The Command"s Public Relations Officer, Mr Nnamdi Omoni told our correspondent that the killer of the final year student has been arrested while the dead body of the victim has been deposited at the mortuary. Mr Omoni said one locally made pistol was recovered from the  assailant whose name is yet to be revealed while investigation has commenced as directed by the state commissioner of Police Mr Eboka Friday

  A final year student of the faculty of Management Science at the Rivers State University was shot dead by one Wisdom popularly called Peruzi a three hundred level student  of the same faculty .  Sources said the alleged assailant Wisdom  who was later apprehended by the school security and officers attached to Nkpolu Divisional Police headquarters,  is suspected to be a member of Vikings cult group while his  victim is said to be a member of Ku Klux Klans cult group. An eyewitness who does not want his name mentioned said the deceased was shot on his head and the shooting resulted to pandemonium as students,staff scampered for safety. The Public Relations Officer of Rivers State Police Command, Mr Nnamdi Omoni confirmed the incident in a text message but added that details was still sketchy. As of the time of filing this report  security operatives were seen patrolling inside the school campus to forestall reprisals and total break down of law and or...

 Over two hundred youths in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State are to be trained in Livestock Farming and ICT. The youths drawn from across the four kingdoms that make up the local government area are expected to go through practicals during the training in a bid to become self employed. The training organized by the Obio Akpor chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria is to encourage the youths to take up skills in a bid to become self reliant to reduce over dependence on white collar jobs. This was the submission of the Rivers state Commissioner for Youth Development, Prince Obi Ohia at the official launch of Livestock farming and ICT training by the Obio Akpor chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria. Represented by the Head Youths Enterprise, Rivers state Ministry of Youth Development, Mr Samuel Miebaka said the training will improve the economy of the state. One of the resource persons, Chief Executive officer of an ICT company who is going to be t...

 Some casual workers assigned to different flyover construction sites in Port Harcourt has staged a peaceful protest for alleged poor salaries paid them by the construction company handling the project despite receiving huge payment from the Rivers State  government. The Workers carrying placards with various inscription also accused the construction company of  ill treatment. The workers urged the Rivers State Government to intervene in the matter.  The protest  comes less than 24 hours after the company promised the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike that it will complete both GRA and Rumuola flyovers before the end of September 2021. Speaking to our correspondent on the development a concerned resident Mr Mathew Gogo said the problem of Nigerian workers especially in the construction industry is that companies makes them casual workers so that they will be given peanut as salary and make them  work under sun and rain. He lamented that  workers are be...

  At least three persons  have died following an explosion which occurred in a moving vehicle along Rundele in Emohua local government area of Rivers State. The victims identities could not be ascertained as they were burnt to death, beyond recognition.  Villagers and passersby said only their charred skeleton could been seen. The villagers who ran for cover last night said they were baffled as vehicle allegedly conveying illegal crude oil product commonly known as kpofire  exploded.  An eyewitness who do not want his name mentioned   said the  unidentified truck was coming from the Ahoada axis of the State when it fell and exploded. and burnt the people inside the truck.  

  The Management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education has placed a lecturer with the Department of Management,  Mr. Godwin Olai,   on twelve months suspension and referred his matter to the Staff Disciplinary Committee for further investigation. The Management of the University acted on an audio recording which alleged that some final year students of Mr. Godwin Olai's department assigned to him for project supervision were asked by him to pay the sum of seventy thousand naira  each so that the lecturer would write, type and bind the finished projects for the students without any input from the students , with the exception of writing their Dedication page and Acknowledgements. 

 President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Petroleum Industry Bill 2021 into law.   Working from home in five days quarantine as required by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 after returning from London , the President assented to the Bill today, in his determination to fulfill his constitutional duty.   In a statement by the  Special Adviser to the President on Media and publicity , Femi Adesina the ceremonial part of the new legislation will be done on Wednesday, after the days of mandatory isolation would have been fulfilled.   According to the statement Petroleum Industry Act provides legal, governance, regulatory and fiscal framework for the Nigerian petroleum industry, the development of host communities, and related matters.   The Senate had passed the Bill on July 15, 2021, while the House of Representatives did same on July 16, thus ending a long wait since early 2000s, and notching another high for the Buhari administration.  

  By Martha Igbiks As part of efforts to rid off quacks in the water sector ,Rivers State Government has announced plans to ban the distribution of water between the hours of 7pm to 6am daily  Speaking at a one day stakeholders engagement on Water Quality Standards and Regulations in Port- Harcourt, Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja, explained that the move is to protect the lives of residents and investment of those genuinely in business in the sector, urging quacks to stop their nefarious and unpatriotic activities. The Commissioner enjoined Water Producers in the State to use the prescribed standard micron for the bottling and packaging of water for  consumption and harped on the dangers of using substandard micron; saying that ,exposure of the water to sun rays causes illicit chemical reactions that are injurious to  human organs.  ''The prescribed micron is 38 and above. We discovered that some people use less t...

The scheduled election of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ ;Rivers State Council, failed to hold following disagreement among interested parties in the election. Following the disagreement, men of the Nigeria Police Force were drafted in to seal off NUJ Press Center Venue of the election. The controversy that marred the election began when some members of the council raised concerns of the authenticity of the delegate list. While some members agree that the list was authentic, others said otherwise. After the desolation of the incumbent state council executives, the process degenerated into physical confrontations paving the way for police to step in to prevent any breakdown of law and order. A popular blogger in Port Harcourt Mr. Prince Uwaifo while speaking on the situation condemned what he called the unwarranted invasion of the press center. Another journalist, Mr Allwell Ene said the NUJ election was progressing in a peaceful manner and wondered why anyone would want to truncate ...

 Residents of Okwelle,Soku; waterfront community in PortHarcourt City Local Government Area are  counting their loss following an inferno that gutted makeshift houses in the area in the early hours of today. A member of PHALGA security service, Chukwuma Atamkpo and a resident Christian Alali alleged that the  fire may have been caused by  candle light or  stove explosion. Two other female residents who spoke to our correspondent lamented that they were at work when the fire started and on getting home their rooms had been razed completely by the fire. The residents called on Government to come to their rescue. Meanwhile PHALGA security personnel were on ground to prevent hoodlums from looting property of residents that were brought out from the rooms. Our correspondent reports that the Youths of the community used water and detergent to put off the fire before the arrival of the fire fighters .

 The headquarters of the All Progressives Congress ,APC ;was said to be a battlefield in the early hours of today, as policemen, loaded in over five Hillux Patrol Vans took over the party secretariat. The police team numbering over 30 had strategically positioned themselves within the secretariat along Blantyre street, without harassing passersby and the motorists using the street. Our correspondent who monitored the situation report that the gun-wielding, battle ready policemen did not allow any vehicle park within secretariat vicinity, including those from the staff, the visitors and the journalists that arrived there early. Although the presence of the police awakened reminisce of the dark days of the former National Chairman APC National Working Committee ,NWC! Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, however the difference is that they were not subjected to any undue harassment by the security operatives. Reports says  as at 11am, the usually bubbling secretariat was still like a ghost ...

  The authority of Andoni Local Government Area of  Rivers state says it is proposing a Bill to the Legislative Assembly to ban hunting within the forest of communities in the area.   This is in a bid to conserve the environment of Andoni and harness its tourism potentials for the sustainable economic development of the area. The decision to propose the bill banning hunting comes barely a week after an Elephant was spotted in Ikuru Town in Andoni, months after a giant Swordfish worth hundreds of thousands of dollars was caught at the Oyorokoto Fishing Settlement.   The Andoni Council Chairman Mr Erastus  Awortu revealed the plan by his administration to ban hunting at a Strategic Meeting with  Community Development Committee, CDC, Chairmen of Andoni at the Council Secretariat in Ngo Town.   Mr Awortu while explaining that the move was aimed at conserving wildlife, noted that the area is endowed with large tourism potentials, assuring that his administr...

  The Rivers State Police Command has exhumed the remains of the General Overseer of God is God Ministries, pastor Friday Olakada, at Agbochia in Eleme local government area . The 56 years old father of six, pastor Olakada was kidnapped on the 14th of May 2021 by  the suspects who pretended to be passengers asked him to  picked them on a 'drop'. Briefing Journalists at the scene of the crime in Lorre community Khana local government area, Rivers State commissioner of police Mr Friday Eboka  said the four suspects collected the sum of five hundred  thousand naira as  ransom,killed their victim and buried him in a shallow grave. Mr Eboka explained that the suspects confessed to have killed the victim ten days after collecting the ransom.  Speaking onbehalf of the other suspects 27 years Prince Odi confessed to the crime , explaining that the victim was killed because he recognized one of them. Odi said they were contacted by someone who was in need of a ...

  Over 117 youths drawn from the eight  states in the Niger Delta region have been trained in various businesses by  Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC; of Nigeria Limited  to make them self reliant.  General Manager , External Relations, SPDC, Mr Igo Weli who made this known at the 2020 LiveWIRE Nigeria Programme Graduation /Award Ceremony of SPDC said the Program is to encourage and support youths to start their own businesses or expand existing ones.  Mr Weli explained that those trained would be given awards and business start-up  or expansion grants. On her part, Manager Social Investment and performance , External Relations , SPDC,  Dr. Gloria Udoh said the youths between 18 and 35years old are mainly graduates with business ideas who must be able to produce a business plan. Dr Udoh  advised  them to make judicious use of the knowledge they acquired from the training and also invest wisely. Dr. Udoh said the program started ...

 About fifteen students from Andoni local government area of Rivers State are being trained as naval Marshals at Charkin Maritime Academy in Port Harcourt.   Chairman of Andoni local government area, Mr Erastus Awortu who made this known during a visit to the academy charged the students to be committed to become good ambassadors of the area. The council boss, Mr. Erastus Awortu who encouraged the students to use the opportunity of the training to make their lives better for the area and the society at large urged them not to disappoint the council. Mr. Awortu said the essence of sponsoring the students on the training is to make them gainfully employed by multinationals within and outside the shores of Nigeria.   The chairman also noted that as a way of reducing the rate of insecurity in the area , other Youths will be engaged in short term projects that will enhance their credibility thereby making them independent and useful to the area and the society. He explain...