Awajis George News

  Authorities of the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Security Services,DSS have been called upon to release a middle aged woman who was allegedly whisked away by armed men wearing Police and DSS uniform. Ms.Dorcas Osuoka a caterer from Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state was allegedly kidnapped from her residence in PortHarcourt on Tuesday night to an unknown destination. President PortHarcourt Civil Rights Council Mr. Sebastian Kpalap told Newsmen that a relative of the victim Mr. Desmond Osuoka who was present when the incident happened said all attempt to ascertain the identity or destination where her sister was  taken to, proves abortive. " As an organization committed to the defense and protection of human rights and the dignity of the human person, the civil rights council is hereby calling on the authorities of the Nigeria police ,the Rivers State Police Command, the Department of State Security Services,DSS;to kindly release Ms Osuoka within the next

  The Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC;says it will continue with the  Continuous Voter Registration ,CVR; exercise nationwide ,directing all  Resident Electoral Commissioners and Electoral Officers to continue with the exercise pending further directives from the Commission.  National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee Festus Okoye in a statement said the Commission has consistently reiterated its resolve to continue to provide electoral services to the Nigerian people and register all eligible Nigerians that are interested in registering.  While the Commission has deployed additional machines to areas of pressure .  According to the statement, the case at the Federal High Court relating to the terminal date of the CVR which came up yesterday and based on the request of the Commission, the Court granted an accelerated hearing and adjourned the matter to Monday 4th July 2022 for hearing of the substantive matter. On the issue of  Timetabl

  A ten year old girl who was chased out of the house by her guardian has been recovered by a Human Rights group Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign. National Coordinator of the group, Prince Wiro said the attention of the organization was drawn to the incident by residents of Mile 2 Diobu PortHarcourt who saw the ten year old girl roaming the street. Mr Wiro said the ten year old girl gave her name as Favour  Nnamdi from Ebonyi State. He explained that the group in company of a member of Diobu Vigilante immediately handed over the child who could not remember her address  to the Police. Mr .Wiro added that the group  is making effort to inform the Ministry of Social Welfare on the development ,while calling for a thorough investigation into the allegation made by the ten year old girl.

  The Commissioner of Police Rivers State, CP Eboka Friday has ordered a massive deployment of personnel across Oyigbo Local Government Area , to fish out criminal elements and perpetrators of violent crimes against the people of the area. This is coming on the heels of the gruesome murder of an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP; Chris Josiah, attached to Afam Divisional Police Headquarters on Tuesday while returning home after work.  Police Public Relations Officer DSP Grace Iringe-koko in a statement said the deceased Officer was ambushed by five yet-to-be-identified armed masked men, who opened fire at the Officer along Assemblies of God Church, Obeama Community, Oyigbo, and shot him dead inside his car. She added that the Commissioner of Police has equally ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident with a view to unraveling the remote and immediate cause of the attack and bringing the perpetrators to justice.  While warning that further attacks on Police Officers ta

  Following the high rate of domestic violence in the society,government at all levels have been urged to come up with stringent penalties against  offenders as a way of reducing the inhuman act. This was the appeal made by women in Petroleum Natural Gas Senior Staff  Association Of Nigeria  ,PENGASSAN; who took to the street of PortHarcourt to sensitized residents of the state on the need to speak up when being faced with issues of domestic violence. The women led by her National Chairperson Dr. Faith Usoroh  during the walk stopped over at the Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs and  at the police Headquarters in PortHarcourt to submit letters on the matter   Dr. Usoroh in her speech said the government need to put in more effort in the prosecution of offenders to deter others from indulging in it. The Chairperson while encouraging victims of domestic violence to always speak up , frowned at the attitude of some women who always shield their abusers. On his part, the Commissioner

  The Rivers State Police command has arraigned Professor David Ogbonna of the Rivers State University on allegations of unlawful and indecent sexual assault of a female student. Professor  Ogbonna was arraigned before Chief Magistrate  Menenen Poromon . The charge sheet read that  Professor David Ogbonna on 16th day of May,2022 at Rivers State University campus, Oruwokwo in Obio/Akpor Magisterial district but triable in PortHarcourt Magisterial district did unlawfully and indecently assault a student aged twenty by inserting his manhood into the student Sex organ thereby committed an offence punishable under section 360 of the criminal code CAP 37 Vol.11 of laws of Rivers State,Nigeria 1999. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, the defence Counsel Higher King urged the court to grant the defendant bail on self recognizance considering his status in the society. Meanwhile Emi Jim George led lawyer holding brief for International Federation of Women Lawyers  FIDA Rive

  General Overseer of a new Generation Ministry  Mercy House Church International Bishop Felix Okpara Duruebube has been remanded at PortHarcourt Correctional Centre after he failed to meet up his bail condition when he was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Anugbum N . The State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department ,SCIID; arraigned the suspect on two count charge  . Reading the charge, Chief Magistrate said Bishop Duruebube between the month of April 2021 to May,2022 at RayJPE hotel Rumuokoro, Mercy House Church branch Iwofe and N0.42A road 12 Rumuahulu PortHarcourt in PortHarcourt magisterial district did unlawfully and sexually abused a girl between the ages of sixteen and seventeen years by inserting his manhood into the minor's private part and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 32(1)(2) of Child rights at CAP 50 law of Rivers State,2003. The Magistrate also said  sometimes in month of December,2021 at Mercy House church International headquart

  A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has granted bail to member representing Degema-Bonny Federal Constituency Dr. Farah  Dagogo on a two count charge of conspiracy and cultism against him by the state government. Trial Judge, Justice Chinwendu  Nworgu  in his ruling on bail application by defendant counsel Cosmos  Eenweluzo granted the defendant bail with the sum of twenty million naira with one sureties who must deposit a Passport Photograph alongside the defendant. Justice Nworgu  also ordered that the defendant must not be allowed to travel outside the country without the permission of the court and should deposit his International passport with the court. Our correspondent  reports that the trial Judge also directed that the sureties must be an indigene of Rivers State who owned a landed property within Port Harcourt which valued not less than twenty million naira. Speaking to Newsmen , Counsel to Dr.  Dagogo , Cosmos Eenweluzo expressed delight that his client has been granted

   Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, has resigned   . We gathered that Justice Muhammad resigned last night on health grounds. Information also has it that arrangements are ongoing to swear in the next most senior justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. Until his resignation, reports had it that Justice Muhammad was seriously ill.  14 justices of the Supreme Court had written him a letter to lament the decrepit state of affairs in the apex court. In the leaked letter, the Justices accused the CJN of refusing to address the issues despite drawing his attention to them. They complained of a lack of residential accommodation and vehicles at the court. The justices further accused the CJN of gallivanting with his “spouse, children and personal staff,” while not allowing them to travel with an assistant on foreign trips. The justices decried the lack of legal research assistants, despite the magnitude of cases being a

  As the world mark's International Widows Day, widows in the state have been urged to work towards being financially independent by making wise decisions and being industrious. Former Secretary to the State Government, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam stated this while speaking on the theme: "Sustainable Solution for Widows Financial Independence" to mark the 2022 International Widows Day organised by FIDA Rivers State, in Port Harcourt, said the secret of financial independence and it's sustainability lies primarily with the woman.  Dame Cookey-Gam  called on government to put policies and programs in place to ensure that financial services providers offer favourable services that are available to women. On their part, some widows participant who spoke to our correspondent thanked FIDA for celebrating the Day with them and educating them on widows right.

    The Rivers State Government has insisted that its commitment to providing top-notch sustainable infrastructural facilities for the benefit of the Rivers People remains firm.   The State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo stated this in her keynote address during the 16th Annual Scientific Conference of Nigerian Association of Dermatologists and 3rd Scientific Meeting of the African Society of Dermatology and Venereology at Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt .   Dr Banigo, who said the Governor, Wike led Administration had resolved not to be distracted in delivering dividends of democracy to the Rivers People, disclosed that at inception in 2015 the State Government ensured that all dilapidated health facilities it met on ground were renovated, equipped and positioned to provide the needed health care delivery services.   “To further boost the manpower needs of the health sector in the State, this administration has established the Faculty of Medicine at the Rivers State Universit

  International Federation of Women Lawyers FIDA Rivers State has called on the Rivers State Police Command to produce one Bishop Felix Okpara Duruebube of Mercy House International Church, Eliozu, who was arrested and detained by officers of Rumuodumaya Police Division for allegedly defiling a sixteen year old girl. Speaking to our correspondent, Publicity Secretary FIDA Rivers, Sophia Afolayan, said the association received a complaints from the victim on 17th June, 2022, on how she has been constantly  abused sexually by the suspect Bishop Felix Okpara Duruebube. Afolayan said that on 18th June, 2022, the suspect was arrested and detained by officers of Rumuodumaya Police Division. According to her, FIDA got an information that the suspect was been released every night to go home and return the next morning, noting that Bishop Felix Duruebube is yet to return to the station after being released by an officer named Rebecca yesterday. Speaking with our Correspondent, the suspect Bisho

  The Independent National Electoral Commission ,INEC; in Rivers State has confirmed that one of its security guards attached to its Obio/Akpor area office has been arrested by agents of the Department of State Security on allegation of extortion of money from members of the public. Public Affairs officer Resident Electoral Commissioner INEC Rivers State Geraldine Ekelemu in a statement said the commission has  zero tolerance to acts of extortion by its staff and would ensure that the security agencies investigate this and any other allegations of illegality by its officials to ensure that every infraction is redressed and punished. According to the statement,members of the public are advised to avoid acts of desperation that could render them vulnerable to fraudsters taking advantage of them. They are also encouraged to report attempts at extortion to INEC or the security agencies. Sh added that all INEC offices in Rivers State are open and attending to potential registrants while reg

    President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate seeking the confirmation of seven ministerial nominees. The nominees are: Henry Ikechukwu – Abia State, Umana Okon Umana – Akwa-Ibom State; Ekuma Joseph – Ebonyi State; Goodluck Nana Obia – Imo State; Umar Ibrahim Yakub – Kano State; Ademola Adewole Adegorioye – Ondo State; Odo Udi – Rivers State. The Senate has, however, not fixed a date yet for the screening exercise. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has nominated Senator Philip Aduda as the new minority leader to fill the vacant seat created by Senator Enyinnaya Abariba’s defection. Also, the party nominated Senator Chukwuka Utazi as the new senate minority whip.

   Rivers State Government has slammed a nine count charge against Former Governor of Rivers State Rotimi Amaechi and APC Governorship candidate Tonye Cole   n a suit marked PHC/1818/CR/2022, filed on June 7, the State also listed the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress ,APC; Tonye Cole, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside, Sahara Energy Resources Limited, NG Power-HpS Limited and Cenpropsaroten Management Limited as Amaechi’s co-defendants. The Former Governor and co-defendants’ offences were contained in charge sheet, a copy of which was obtained by our Correspondent.   In the statement of offence count one the State said Amaechi and his co-defendants “sometime between 2011 and 2012 at Port Harcourt within the Port Harcourt Division of the High Court of Rivers State did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to stealing the sum of $274,563,599.59USD”. The document said the money was a proceed from the sale of 70 per cent equity held by the Rivers State Government in the

  Rivers State Deputy Governor Dr Ipalibo  Banigo has urged women to build their homes with wisdom to ensure it does not collapse. Dr. Banigo stated this while speaking as the Guest Preacher during the 2022 Ladies Conference at the Redeemed Christian Church of God ,RCCG; Regional Headquarters Parish Chapel of Blessings. Dr. Banigo said, women, need to ask God for the wisdom that would carry them through. ”You need the wisdom to run your homes and grow our children, the whole world is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, there is a lot of groaning, in our nation, and in our communities, there is groaning, the Lord is waiting upon you. God is set to do something new in Rivers State and Nigeria”. Dr. Banigo who spoke on the theme: “Every Increasing Christian Woman” drawn, from Luke Chapter 2: 52 insisted that the word of God was key, in our increase, adding that we must grow in the word of God, spend time on the word, meditate on the word and chew the word.  “If you are a Chr

  Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has adjourned till 23rd of June, 2022 to hear on fresh motion for bail filed by counsel to Governorship Aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, Farah  Dagogo on two counts of conspiracy and cultism by state government. Trial Judge, Justice Chiwendu Nworgu gave the adjourned date after state prosecution counsel, Chidi Ekeh informed the court that his counter affidavit to the bail application was yet to be commissioned. Counsel to Dr. Dagogo, Cosmos  Eenweluzo had in his presentation told the court that the fresh bail application follows the fact that their initial bail application at the appeal court did not scale through because the motion was not determined at the lower court before proceeding to appeal. Justice Nworgu in his ruling after hearing from the both counsels, said the reason why fifty of evidence act 2011 sighted by the defense counsel can not stand was due to the fact that prosecution counsel has perfected the informatio

  It’s a sad day in Owo, Ondo State as the victims of the deadly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church are laid to rest in the town. This followed a funeral mass held today in honour of the victims whose remains had been deposited at the morgue of the Saint Louis Catholic Hospital in Owo. After the funeral mass is completed at the Mydas Event Centre in Owo, families of the victims will take the remains of their loved ones for burial in the town. Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and a former governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko, were among the dignitaries present at the mass. Some clergymen, including Bishop Jude Arogundade of Ondo Catholic Diocese and Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, were also in attendance. No fewer than 40 persons were killed in the attack which has received wide condemnation across the nation.

  The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has announced Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate. Atiku made the announcement at a meeting attended by PDP executives at the party’s headquarters in Abuja. PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, said a 17-member committee had been set up by the party to pick a running mate. He said the committee had submitted three names to Atiku to choose from. The final decision however, Ayu said, was Atiku’s. Speaking at the announcement event, Atiku said making a choice between the three names had been a difficult decision. He also noted that some of the qualities he looked out for include someone who understands the enormity of the challenges facing the country and one who has demonstrated, from experience, that he can proffer some solutions. He said he looked out for one who has the qualities of a president, who can stand in for him when he’s not around. According to him, while all the three names sub

  About thirty suspects has been paraded by the Rivers State Police Command. The suspects allegedly committed various offenses ranging from kidnapping, Armed Robbery,Rape and other social vices . Parading the suspects at the command's headquarters in PortHarcourt, Commissioner of Police CP Eboka Friday told Newsmen that the suspects were arrested at different locations in the state. Rivers State Commissioner of Police CP Eboka Friday while reading some of the command's achievement to Journalists said a case of missing child was reported at Isiokpo division in Ikwerre local government area by one Progress Emmanuel on the 24th of May 2022 and the case transferred to CP monitoring Unit,who swung into action and rescued the child, five years old Favour Emmanuel unhurt.    He said further investigation revealed that the child was stolen and sold to a couple in Owerri for the sum of six hundred thousand naira by her Aunty . The commissioner of police also said operatives of Elimgbu p

  Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has travelled to Egypt. On his verified Twitter  handle , Obi said the trip  would be an educational one for him. He said, "I just departed for Egypt on a 3-day visit as part of my detailed study of comparable countries to Nigeria. In Egypt, I am expected to understudy, among others, the Egyptian Power Sector, Education, Planning and Finance Sectors.

  Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has approved the immediate payment of outstanding gratuity, monthly pension arrears and death benefits of retirees in the state public service.  A statement by the Director-General of the Rivers State Pension Board, Samuel Ijeoma said the exercise will be done in batches. It said the first batch is for all those who retired up to June 2014.  According to the statement, all affected retirees and next-of-kins for deceased retirees under this batch are to appear   for physical verification from June 15-23 with their retirement ID Cards and other relevant documents at the Ministry of Justice Conference Hall.

  Chief Magistrate I.O Agbesor presiding over a Magistrate Court in Ozuoba has declined jurisdiction in the case of alleged Countless defilement and trial with ordeal of thirteen year old by an accused Preye Marshal- Harry aged thirty eight. Chief Magistrate Agbesor after going through the charge sheet when the accused was arraigned in court declined jurisdiction and ordered that the suspect should be taken back to Ozuoba Police Division and advised he be transferred to State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department,SCIID! that can arraigned the suspect in a Court of competent Jurisdiction. Meanwhile a lawyer with Legal Care Advocacy Foundation Jane O.A James Esq told our Correspondent that they will follow up on the directive of the Chief Magistrate.

  A man in his early thirties  Preye Harry from Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State have been arrested by the police for allegedly defiling his female lover's thirteen year old niece for four years. In an interview with our Correspondent,an Uncle to the victim Mr. Boma Totty said the suspect had in December,2019 defiled the minor who was nine year old then. According to Mr Totty  the suspect brought out calabash and other fetish items from his vehicle after allegedly defiling the minor, an administered oath of secrecy on her with charge that she and her family members will die if she disclosed what transpired. He further explained that the suspect Harry continued his evil act for almost four years until the family members observed  the way the minor was spending money and upon interrogation she revealed that 'Uncle' Preye who has been showering her with money,gift was having  carnal knowledge of her . Mr Totty while calling for justice added that the suspect was ar

  The Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rivers State Chapter, has congratulated her member Mrs. Ann Godwin, for winning the prestigious Wole Soyinka Journalism Award in Leadership. In a  statement by the Chairperson Susan Serekara-Nwikhana  and Secretary Dr Ngozi Anosike, the association described the award  as well  deserved and  commended the recipient, Ann Godwin for exhibiting so much intelligence and professionalism. NAWOJ further commended the Rivers State Guardian Newspaper Correspondent for creating a platform "Step Up Media Network " aimed at training and  mentoring female journalists in the state and enjoined her to keep up the good work. The association also recalled that  Mrs Ann Godwin has in the  past won other awards in journalism and congratulated her  for achieving this uncommon feat adding that the association is proud of her outstanding qualities in Investigative Journalism. It also  expressed hope that   more female  journalists in the sta

  The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has congratulated the Rivers State Correspondent for Guardian Newspapers, Mrs. Ann Godwin, for winning the prestigious Wole Soyinka Journalism Award in Leadership. The Council, in a statement by its secretary, Ike Wigodo, said the Union was proud that one of its members won the coveted award in journalism. According to the statement, "the Wole Soyinka Journalism Award in Leadership is not a run-of-the-mill award that can be clinched so easily. It is an award that requires high professionalism, competence and resourcefulness to win. That one of us in Rivers NUJ, Ann Godwin, won the prestigious award is a good testimonial to our preference for investigative journalism". The Union said that it was not surprised that Mrs Godwin won the award given her brilliance and exceptional commitment to the growth of journalism in the state. The statement noted that Mrs Godwin's pet project 'Step Up Media Network' h

  Eleven out of the 61 persons kidnapped following the March 28 Abuja-Kaduna train attack have regained their freedom. Among those who regained their freedom are six females and five males who have now been flown to the nation’s capital, Abuja.  Spokesman Kaduna based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, Mallam Tukur Mamu, who has been involved in the negotiation for the release of the victims revealed this to Newsmen. He said the victims were released today  at a forest, and have been flown to Abuja. Mamu  further explained that the 11 victims were freed on health grounds in order to enable them undergo urgent medical treatment. According to Mamu, their names are Jessy John, Amina Ba’aba Mohammed (Gamba), Rashida Yusuf Busari and  Hannah Ajewole. Others include  Najib Mohammed Daiharu,  Gaius Gambo , Hassan Aliyu, Peace A. Boy and Danjuma Sa’idu. The attack which occurred on March 28 at Dutse forest in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State left eight people killed and 26 others i

  Security Agencies in Anambra State have raided and destroyed the hideouts serving as kidnappers den in Oba in Idemili South local government area of the state.The destruction came on the heels of a directive by Governor Chukwuma Soludo that all kidnappers and other criminal gangs’ hideouts must be destroyed as part of his administration’s determination to rid Anambra State of criminalities. The Anambra State Joint Security Task Force yesterday conducted the demolition exercise which lasted for more than five hours at the hideout of the kidnappers, which is an old bungalow building at Oba. One of the hoodlums was killed, but others escaped with various degree of injuries. The gunman killed at Oko, whose video went viral on some social handles, was identified as a former vigilante who was part of a four-man gang that had been involved in high profile killings and kidnapping within that vicinity.  The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga had explained that the