Author: Eileen Peters

THE Delta State Police Command has arrested a 48-year-old man, Mr Efe Onoetiyi, for killing his best friend, Paulinus Okon, after collecting over N50m from the deceased. The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda Olufemi, disclosed this on Monday while parading the man alongside four other killers. He said, “I welcome you to this briefing which is particularly painful. It involves the murder of one Paulinus Okon by his bosom friend, one Efe Onoetiyi. “Paulinus was reported missing on September 8, 2024, by his brother after he went out with his friend, Efe Onoitiyi, 30. The suspect, Efe Onoitiyi, who…

SOME alms seekers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have lost their lives in a stampede. The stampede occurred on Saturday morning during an event for the distribution of Christmas rice and other palliatives at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Maitama area of Abuja. This newspaper’s correspondent who was at the scene observed the heavy presence of security personnel. It was gathered that the church had made it a point of duty to give back to the society every year. Victims of the stampede are mostly women and children. Confirming the incident, the FCT Police Command said ten individuals…

LESS than a month after the Port Harcourt Refining Company appeared to have resumed production, the facility has stopped working. Our correspondent, who visited the refinery on Thursday, December 19, 2024, observed that the lifting of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) had stopped. This newspaper gathered that the lifting of petrol actually stopped last Friday, December 13, as the 18-arm loading bay of the new Port Harcourt refinery was empty. While about 18 trucks littered the stretch of the busy road leading to the refinery itself, nine trucks were spotted inside the parking yard, while the loading bay was empty. The…

A BAYELSA State High Court has convicted the Senior Special Assistant on General Duties to Governor Douye Diri, Mr Prudent Oguruguru, on a two-count charge bordering on assault. Oguruguru was arrested for inflicting harm on one Ubong Effiong Ubek, which led to the latter being unconscious at Agudama-Epie on February 20, 2024. He was subsequently arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, attempted murder, assault occasioning harm, serious assault, and malicious damage before Justice I. A Orukari. During the trial, the accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and the prosecution called six witnesses and tendered seven exhibits…

THE Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, has ordered a thorough investigation into the deaths of two Okuama community leaders, Pa James Oghoroko and Dennis Okugbaye, while in Army custody. Oghoroko, the President-General of the Okuama community, and 81-year-old Okugbaye, the community’s treasurer, reportedly died six days apart after being detained by the military. The duo along with four others — Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mrs. Mabel Owhemu, and Mr. Dennis Malaka — were arrested during a military operation conducted between August 18 and 20, 2024. The arrests followed the killing of 17 soldiers on March 14,…

THE Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) has restored power supply to the Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River after 15 years of perpetual darkness. The people commended the Sen. Bassey Otu led administration for keeping to his campaign promise of restoring power supply to the council when elected. Innocent Inaku, PHEDC Branch Manager for Cross River North and Central, particularly commended Governor Otu for the feat. He said that the area was thrown into darkness for such a long period due to vandalism and obsolete power infrastructure. “The whole of Bekwarra has been in darkness for more than…

THE Appeal Court Abuja has set aside all orders restraining the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing funds to the Rivers State Government. The Three-member panel, presided by Justice Hamman Barka, held that the subject matter was not within the jurisdiction of the court relating to the revenue of the state. While allowing the appeal of the Rivers State government, the appellate court also set aside all the orders made by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, stating that it was unconstitutional for her to make orders restricting Rivers State government to receive funds due…

THE governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 Bayelsa governorship election, Udengs Eradiri, and his running mate, Commodore Benjamin Nathus (retd.), have announced their resignations from the party. It was gathered that most of the local government chairmen of the Labour Party in Bayelsa State also joined Eradiri and Nathus in leaving the party. Eradiri, who was recently conferred a fellowship by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, submitted his resignation letter to the state chairman of the party in Yenagoa. In the letter dated December 8 and titled Letter of Withdrawal as Labour Party Member, Eradiri explained that…

EDO North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, said his son, Cyril, is qualified to occupy the office of the Commissioner of Health in the South-South state. Oshiomhole, former Edo governor, was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday. In November, Oshiomhole’s ally, Governor Monday Okphebolo, appointed Cyril as health commissioner just after the new governor was sworn in. The appointment of the United States-trained medical doctor has attracted a barrage of criticisms from persons who described the act as a state capture and a reward for the senator’s support for the governor’s election. Asked whether he endorsed the appointment…

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, said the new Port Harcourt refinery is over 90 percent completed. The Port Harcourt Refining Company, PHRC, operates two refineries; the old plant with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) and a new facility with 150,000 bpsd, bringing the refinery’s combined crude processing capacity to 210,000 bpsd. The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Mele Kyari, spoke, yesterday, when Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, labour leaders visited the facility in Rivers State. Kyari, who was represented by NNPC’s Executive Vice-President (Downstream), Isyaku Abdullahi said the…

THE President-General of Okuama Community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Pa James Oghorokor, has reportedly died from torture and alleged inhumane treatment in military detention. Oghoroko is one of the leaders arrested by the Nigerian military since August 2024. The President-General of Okuama community was arrested alongside Prof Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Dennis Okugbaye, Pa Anthony Ahwemuria and Mrs Rita Akata between August 18 and 20, and had remained in detentions since. News of his death was disclosed in a statement on Thursday after leaders of Okuama had emergency meeting in the community. The leaders…

THE Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has rescued five children stolen from the same mother. It was gathered that the children were stolen from their village in Ibiono Ibom by an unknown man and taken away on a motorcycle. Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday in Uyo, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Joseph Eribo, said the children had been reunited with their mother. “On 14/11/2024, at about 1510hrs, the Command received a distress call from one woman (name withheld), who reported that five of her children had been taken away by an unknown man on…

THE Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation has received the necessary and complete documents required to verify the N2.7 trillion fuel subsidy claim by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited against the government. This is as the procurement department of the finance ministry obtained the terms of reference and the scope of work to guide the process of hiring the external firm to support the OAuGF. Recall that in April 2024, the Federal Government commenced a fresh audit of the N2.8tn fuel subsidy claim by the NNPCL. An audit firm, KPMG, had conducted an initial audit, reducing the claims…

THE Chief Executive Officer of AKD Digital Solutions, Daere Akobo has said that massive investment in data refinery will help Nigeria to harness the full potential of the oil and gas industry and other sectors of the economy. According to the oil and gas expert, data refinery would reposition the country’s economy from ‘grass to grace’. The CEO said these during his presentation titled,’ Building Africa’s First Data Refinery’ at the TED X MambillaStreet. The TED X event covered by this newspaper was with the theme: ‘Portals: A Conversation on Access’ sponsored by PANA Holdings among others. The event featured…

TROOPS of the Nigerian Army have recovered 1.2 million litres of stolen crude, destroyed 56 illegal refineries and arrested 17 suspected oil thieves in the Niger Delta. The Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, Jonah Danjuma, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday. He said troops also destroyed 88 cooking drums and 20 boats used for the illicit activity in four states, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Akwa Ibom, respectively. Danjuma disclosed that the operations which were conducted from November 25 to December 1, 2024, resulted in the deactivation of 56 illegal oil bunkering…

FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has stated that though antagonism is a common experience faced by leaders, the political war staged against the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, would eventually make him emerge as a “general in politics.” This is even as Fubara accepted the chieftaincy title of the Dike Oha 1 of Etche land, bestowed on him by the Supreme Council of Etche Traditional Rulers, saying it is now public acknowledgement from the heart of Etche and Ikwerre nations that he enjoys strong support of the people. The duo spoke at the first Etche Festival of Food, Art and Culture…

THE Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor has been identified as one of the survivors of the boat accidents that claimed five lives in Delta State on Tuesday. A statement by Guwor’s Chief Press Secretary on Wednesday, Nkem Nwaeke said the speaker is yet to recover from the shock. The statement added that the speaker was returning to Asaba, en route Warri after engagement with constituents on the faithful Friday afternoon. Five persons were said to have lost their lives, six were injured and twenty persons still missing after the devastating boat accident in…

THE Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Ltd in Rivers State has commenced crude oil processing. This is according to the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroluem Company Limited (NNPCL) Femi Soneye. “Today marks a monumental achievement for Nigeria as the Port Harcourt Refinery officially commences crude oil processing. This groundbreaking milestone signifies a new era of energy independence and economic growth for our nation,” Soneye said on Tuesday. “Hearty congratulations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the NNPC Board, and the exceptional leadership of GCEO Mele Kyari for their unwavering commitment to this transformative project. Together, we are…

FIVE people have died, six injured and twenty persons still missing after a devastating boat accident occurred in the Warri South Local Government Area of the state. The spokesman of the Delta State Police Command Edafe Bright confirmed the incident, disclosing the six injured persons are receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Warri. The tragic incident involved a collision between two speedboats conveying family members returning from a burial ceremony. The impact caused the boats to capsize, plunging passengers, who were mostly without life jackets, into the water. In October, scores of persons died in Niger State when…

FORMER Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, is on the watch list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, this newspaper gathered. This is just as our correspondent gathered that the anti-graft agency had commenced an investigation into transactions, including contracts awarded during his tenure as the governor of Edo State. Obaseki, who bowed out of office on November 12 after an eight-year tenure, had said the EFCC planned to arrest him soon after stepping out of office. His successor, Monday Okpebholo, has just established a 14-member State Assets Verification Committee to investigate his tenure. Similarly, the EFCC had on…