Member representing Jos South/Jos East in the Federal House of Representatives, Rep. Dachung Musa Bagos has decried the alleged extra judicial killing of one of his constituents, Rinji Peter.

Representative Baggos is therefore calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct heads of security agencies implicated in the human rights abuses and killing of innocent Nigerians to immediately fish out the perpetrators for prosecution and punishment according to law.

Recall that on Tuesday May 12 , 2020, Rep. Nkeiruka C. Onyejeocha and Rep. Dachung Musa Bagos, moved a motion urgently calling for an immediate stoppage of Human Rights Abuses and Extra-Judicial Killing in the country by security operatives. The lawmaker decried the increasing wave of criminality against Nigerian citizens whose lives they (security operatives) were ironically meant to protect.

“Security agencies including the Nigeria Police Force, the military and para-military agencies were saddled with the responsibility of enforcing compliance with the lockdown within the limits of their rules of engagement having regard for human the rights of the citizens.”

“That within the initial period of the lockdown, security operatives had, according to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC); extra-judicially killed 18 innocent Nigerians in Abia, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Katsina, Plateau and Niger States”, the lawmakers stated.

He advocates that the House of Representatives Committees on Police Affairs, Defence, Interior and Human Rights to investigate the abuses, killings and their prosecution. He further recalled that a similar situation happened sometimes last year where a young man was allegedly shot dead by a security agent for not paying for a N50 egg.

Rep. Bagos sympathises with the family of Mr. Rinji Peter and prayed that God comfort the entire family. He further enjoined his constituents to always be law abiding and obey all constituted authorities, the social distancing policy, wash their hands regularly and stay safe. End.

Niger State Government is in talks with security agencies to end banditry in some parts of the State.

Governor Sani Bello who made this assertion while addressing journalists at the Government House, Minna called for useful and prompt information on activities of Bandits and their informants.

He noted that the State has been confronted with security challenges in recent times and that the government will not relent in doing everything possible to ensure that it ends them.

The governor applauded efforts of the security agencies and the vigilantes but acknowledged that the efforts were being sabotaged by some informants within the affected communities, noting that the bandits are working with highly placed members of the affected communities.

He urged the people to support the government in the fight against the bandits by reporting the informants that are giving out the strategies of the security men and their movement, thereby aiding the bandits to evade being overrun.

He called on the people to give prompt information to the security agencies noting that with proper knowledge the fight against the bandits will
be successful.

“But I can assure you that all hands are on deck to ensure that we provide for a safe and secure environment in Niger State”, he said.

According to him, some of the biggest problems that the state is having is its size and forest which have given the bandits opportunity to rustle cows and kidnap people in the affected areas.

He listed the major local government areas affected to include, Mariga, Munya, Rafi ,Shiroro, and Lapai.

…project to provide 1,600 km of rural roads—Coordinator
…we promptly paid N350m fund to aid project—Makinde

Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, revealed on Wednesday that his government promptly paid the counterpart fund for Development Partners-backed Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) to ensure accelerated development of the rural communities in the state.

The governor, who was speaking at the inauguration of the Project Monitoring and Technical Steering Committee, at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, said that the sum of N350 Million was paid two months into his tenure in office to facilitate the project.

The project, which was instituted in April 2016, had remained moribund as a result of the failure of the state to pay the 12 per cent counterpart fund required by the Development Partners including the World Bank, the French Development Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB), among others.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted Makinde as saying that the RAAMP would ensure quality and durable roads that would open up the rural areas for business.

He said: “When we came in, we met the RAAM Project almost moribund because Oyo State couldn’t pay its own counterpart fund. Within two and half months of our administration, we provided the counterpart fund and we were able to get the project back on track.”

The project, which was meant to construct, rehabilitate and maintain over 1000 kilometres of rural roads across 33 Local Government Areas and 35 Local Council Development Areas of the state is aimed at linking the state’s Agro-logistic hubs for
economic and social development.

Governor Makinde said that the RAAMP is aimed at improving the standard of living of rural dwellers, ease access to transportation and enhance rural participation in economic development.

The governor further stated: “I want to congratulate the members of the committee… As a member of this committee, one thing we want to ensure is that quality is maintained.

“We don’t want situation like in the past whereby roads and critical infrastructure are constructed and before that administration will even leave office, the infrastructure would have got to a total state of decay and you will know that within a very short time, you won’t see those infrastructure again.

“A case in point is that we went to Eruwa this time last week, the road from Ologuneru to Eruwa, they are still working on it, it is yet to get to the final point at Eruwa, but we saw many sections of the road that have failed already. That is not what we want, quality has to be maintained.”

The governor also stated that besides the RAAMP, there are other opportunities the state is looking forward to in order to turn around the fortunes of the rural communities.
He said: “Apart from the RAAMP, we still have other opportunities, AfDB are still talking to us, and if, indeed, we are able to put pen to paper, Oyo State would become one of their Agro-processing centres and they will support infrastructure provision towards our rural areas.

“This is mango season; I have been to the innermost part of Oyo State. It is obvious that a lot of farm produce is being wasted. Until the farm produce gets to the people that need it, it is then the farmers can get quality for their produce.”

He added that the RAAMP is important to his administration because it was capable of enhancing its vision of expanding the economy, which he said is a major aspect of his administration’s objectives.

Earlier, the RAAMP coordinator, Dr. Moses Ayanlowo, said the project was aimed at internationalising the capacity and culture for coordination, construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of rural road networks that will ensure an all year-round accessibility to farms and agro-logistic centres and markets.

He, however, appreciated the Makinde-led administration for paying the counterpart funds, which he said had debarred the State from benefiting from the RAAMP since 2016, noting that the project will bring profitable agricultural enterprise to the State.

In his address, the Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, who also doubles as the Vice Chairman (Administration) for the steering committee, Hon. Ojemuyiwa Ojekunle, said the relaunching of the RAAMP was an indication of the1 current administration’s commitment to the agricultural sector.

He added that the initiative would encourage more investments in agribusiness and alleviate poverty for rural dwellers.

The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo has given one Aluzu Augustine Ebikebuna seven days ultimatum to retract a defamatory publication against him or face a legal action.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo also wants Aluzu to tender an unreserved apology as failure to do so would leave him (Deputy Governor) with no option than to seek redress in a court of competent jurisdiction.

This is contained in a notice his lawyer, Clement B. Kekemeke Esq. of the SERENE SOLICITORS & ADVOCATES, served on Aluzu electronically via ebikebuna@gmail.com on Tuesday 12th May, 2020 in Yenagoa.

Recall that on the 9th of May, 2020, Aluzu published a press release on his Facebook account with the name “EBIKEBUNA AUGUSTINE ALUZU” wherein he linked the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State His Excellency-Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo with the alleged abduction of one “MR. SAINT MIENPAMO” by unknown gun men.

In the said press release, Aluzu indicted the Deputy Governor as follows:

“We believe that the abduction of MR. SAINT is not unconnected to his parallel position with the prosperity Government of Douye Diri on issues bothering on public importance in the state noting that this abduction came barely hours after he published that the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State has been served with a subpoena to appear before the Bayelsa State Governorship Election petition Tribunal.”

In a separate release Aluzu claimed that the said MR. SAINT MIENPAMO was detained in Bayelsa State Government House, Yenagoa; a falsehood he backed up with Coordinates of an uncertain geographic location as facts.

However, Mr. Saint Mienpamo had on Tuesday 12th May, 2020 punctured Aluzu and his army of propagandists claims that he was adducted and detained in Bayelsa State Government House, Yenagoa, disclosing that he was only arrested by personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS), for publishing falsehood against the Governor of Kogi State, Yahyah Bello.

While the Deputy Governor is innocent of the allegation contained in his press release, the above quoted innuendoes suggest that he is responsible for the abduction of the said MR. SAINT MIENPAMO. It is pertinent to state that linking the Deputy Governor who is a legal practitioner of repute, a former Commissioner for Works in Bayelsa State, former Senator, Federal Republic of Nigeria and the incumbent Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State to the abduction of MR. SAINT MIENPAMO has reduced his social standing in the eyes of reasonable men.

The Deputy Governor has noted Aluzu’s unbridled activities of recent on the various social media platforms consistently peddling falsehood against him as well denigrating his person for no just cause.

It is in his interest to desist from and or halt his insatiable thirst for dragging the name of the Deputy Governor in the mud over a matter in which he has filed a petition in his capacity as a legal practitioner on behalf of the petitioner in EPT/BY/GOV/O2/2020-VIJAH ELDRED OPUAMA V. INEC & 3 ORS. The Deputy Governor assumes that by virtue of Aluzu’s training, he ought to know the consequences of consistently publishing a matter that is sub judice, particularly bearing in mind the fact that he is one of the petitioner’s counsel in the matter.

Aluzu Augustine Ebikebuna, upon receipt of the enclosed letter has Seven (7) days to immediately retract the publication in question by publishing same on his Facebook account on which he published the defamatory press release, already seen by over one thousand persons at the time of filing this report, IN HIS OWN INTEREST.

….Bayelsa DGov Promises to host all course mates after COVID-19 Saga

The Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo has been commended for his forthrightness, outspokenness and passion for promoting the common good.

Class 98 Old students of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, resident in Bayelsa gave the commendation during a solidarity visit to the Deputy Governor in Government House ,Yenagoa.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor, Mr Doubara Atasi, described the visit as a convivial class reunion where speaker after speaker testified to the kindness, intelligence and progressive-mindedness of Senator Ewhrudjakpo.

Leader of the delegation, Mrs Florence Kenibara congratulated him on his emergence as the Deputy Governor, describing it as a divine arrangement for the state.

She appreciated God for elevating one of them to such an exalted position, noting that Senator Ewhrudjakpo’s rise from civil servant, commissioner, senator and now to deputy governor could only have been made possible by God.

Going down memory lane, Mrs Kenebara said Senator Ewhrudjakpo exhibited superlative academic performance as a coursemate in the Secretarial Administration Department of the University, which earned him nicknames such as “the great tutor” and “Professor”.

She said: I’m happy today, that God has further elevated him from being a senator to a Deputy Governor. You have made us proud and it is our prayer that God will take you higher and higher.

“We knew ourselves in the University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt. We studied together. He was very intelligent so he used to teach us after our lecturers had left. So, he became our great tutorial lecturer.

“We were admitted in the same year and graduated together. We became very close because we are both from the same state and local government area, precisely from Sagbama.”

In his remarks, Alabo Sam Amabebe described the Bayelsa number two man as a kind and highly intelligent man who is always ready to assist in solving problems.

Alabo Amabebe expressed confidence that Senator Ewhrudjakpo would provide all necessary support to Governor Douye Diri to achieve the set objectives of the Prosperity Administration.

According to him, “He is a very nice man. When once he knows you, he takes you as his relation. Whatever help you need, he assists you, if it is within his reach.

“He was very brilliant in class and always likes finding solutions to problems. I believe he will do very well as a deputy Governor if Bayelsans give him the needed support.”

Also speaking, Mrs Meremubio Ikio called on Bayelsans to shun rumour mongering and engage themselves in meaningful activities that would move the state forward.

Mrs Ikio cautioned, “Our people should do away with this pull him down syndrome and habit of rumour mongering because it will take us nowhere. I know Mr Ewhrudjakpo that is deputy Governor today very well.

“We graduated together in 1998. In fact, we were to graduate in the 1995/96 session but we couldn’t do so because of a prolonged ASUU strike during the Abacha administration.”

Responding, the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo expressed gratitude to members of the Class 98 Secretarial Administration students of the Rivers State University for sustaining the warm relationship several years after graduation.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo particularly thanked the delegation for the visit and assured them of his determination to make his Alma Mater proud wherever he finds himself in life.

The Deputy Governor who promised to host an enlarged meeting of the group after the COVID-19 saga, enjoined his visitors to pass the message to other coursemates in Rivers State and beyond.

Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson and family has felicitated with one of the foremost and highly reputable political leaders, Chief Francis Doupkola, who turned 76 of Monday

In a press release personally signed by Hon Henry Seriake Dickson, he said that  Chief Doukpola has rendered years of meritorious service to Bayelsans humanity and God almighty over the years.

The statement read, “He has been an exemplary leader and father and indeed a worthy role model to me and other younger politicians of our generation.

“His services to our people in Bayelsa, and Rivers and the entire Ijaw nation and his exploits as one of our foremost bankers are worthy of celebration.

“Throughout my eight years of service, as Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Doukpola was a constant pillar of support, guidance and quality advice and that is a role he has continued to play.

“Chief Doukpola is a man that is highly reputed for integrity, probity and honour which made it easy for me to readily assign very sensitive responsibilities to him.

“On behalf of my family and I wish him a happy birthday and many more happy returns.

“I also thank the leadership of our party, the Sagbama Ekeremor leaders and all caucuses and all party leaders and leaders of our state who joined to celebrate this great son òf Ijaw land, the statement concluded.

Oyo State Government, on Tuesday, expressed its readiness to halt the influx of people into the state from other states of the federation to further prevent the spread COVID-19.

The Information and Risk Communication Subcommittee of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force stated this during a sensitization campaign in border towns within the five local governments in Ogbomoso land.
The state’s Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, who led the campaign team told border town residents that the government was determined to stop the influx defiant Nigerians who have been violating the nationwide restriction on interstate movement.

Also statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the Commissioner as saying that the state government would leave no stone unturned to ensure that its border towns were effectively secured.

The team, according to the statement, embarked on house-to-house sensitization of residents of various communities in Ogbomosoland, on how to prevent the novel Coronavirus.

The Committee noted that observing hygienic practices, physical distancing and avoiding harbouring travellers from other countries or neighbouring states without first reporting them to the government authorities were important steps towards guarding against the virus.

Olatubosun and his team members, who monitored interstate lockdown compliance at Oki, Oko, Otee and Ijado towns, which share boundaries with Osun and Kwara states respectively, decried the low level of compliance with the interstate lockdown directive in the communities.

He also admonished the residents of the respective communities to cooperate with the security personnel in manning the borders, adding that the Oyo state government would take all necessary measures to block all the illegal boundary routes that motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians were plying to enter Oyo State from Osun, Kwara states and the international borders.

He also called on the government of Osun and Kwara states to put strict measures in place at their respective borders as a way of enforcing total compliance with the interstate movement restriction directive.

Earlier, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Surulere Local Government Area, Mr. Salawu Olayinka, briefed the commissioner and the subcommittee members on the challenges facing his personnel at the border posts in the area.

According to Olayinka, residents of the border communities were not cooperating with the security personnel, saying “they are in the habit of threatening our men whenever we resist violation of the border closure.
“In fact, they have created footpaths in the bushes around here as escape routes where people from Ejigbo in Osun State enters Oyo State,” he stated.

Speaking at the palaces of the Alapa of Oki town, Professor John Akintola and the Oloko of Oko town, Dr. Solomon Akinola, Olatubosun sought the cooperation of the traditional rulers to prevail on their subjects to abide with the movement restriction at the borders.

There commissioner further urged the traditional rulers to deploy local hunters to the illegal routes created in the border communities, as a way of enhancing the job of the conventional security operatives that were manning major boundary borders.

According to the Commissioner, as of May 10, Oyo State had recorded 64 cases of COVID-19, and seven of the cases were from Ogbomoso zone.

“Five out of the seven cases were from here – Surulere LG, so our people should take the issue of coronavirus serious by obeying all guidelines put in place by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, to contain and curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state.”

He intimated the residents to take their personal hygiene serious, abide with physical distancing, regular hand washing with soap, use of sanitizers and facemasks in public places, while also imploring the residents of the various border towns and villages not to hesitate to report to government the arrival of any person into their respective communities.

“Do not receive any visitor during this period, even if your son or daughter living outside this community arrives now, quickly report him or her, so that such individual can be quarantined for 14 days to know maybe he or she has been infected or not.
“Coronavirus is real and we should all be conscious of our environment now and report to government if strangers arrive your communities,” he said.

In their separate responses, the royal fathers commended the administration of Governor Makinde for its proactive measures in combating the spread of COVID-19 across the state, promising to continue supporting all government efforts at curbing the spread of the virus in their respective communities.

Facemasks and hand sanitisers were given to the traditional rulers for onward distribution to their respective subjects, while Olatubosun also distributed facemasks to residents on the streets of Oko, Oki, Ijado and Otee towns.