Friday, 10 March 2017
Thursday, 23 February 2017
Hoodlums kill herdsman, throw body into river
Suspected hoodlums in Emu-Ebendo community, Ndokwa West Local Council of Delta State have allegedly killed a herdsman, Haruna Mohammed, in an encounter, which occurred on Sunday evening.
The unidentified hoodlums later threw the body into a flowing river within the community. The incident, it was gathered yesterday, is generating tension and fears of reprisals in the community.
According to a source, the hoodlums ran into the herdsman and his cattle in the bush while they were attempting to ambush and rob unsuspecting persons, when a quarrel ensured.
The herdsman was said to have attacked them with his bow and arrow. Unfortunately for him, the hoodlums overpowered him and shot him.
The Police Commissioner in the state, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, confirmed that the body of the herdsman was recovered in the flowing river by some residents who had gone to fetch drinking water, adding that some persons have already been arrested in connection with the act.
“We will deal with any hoodlum or herdsman, who breaches the law. Our men are everywhere to comb and bring to book trouble-makers,” he said, adding that the suspects were apprehended at Umusati after an intelligence gathering by a combined team of the police in Abbi Division and men of the local vigilance group.
In another development, women in Umusam community, Utagba-Ogbe kingdom, Ndokwa West Local Council have called on the state and federal governments to come to their aid over alleged herdsmen menace in their community.
The women, numbering over 5,000, on Monday thronged to the farmlands in search of the cattle rearers, who had allegedly destroyed their farm crops.
Speaking with The Guardian on phone, Chief Patrick Igwe, traditional ruler of the community, explained that the women took the action following the wanton destruction of their farm crops, especially cassava.
He said farming is the major occupation of the people. While regretting the havoc allegedly wreaked by the herdsmen, he pleaded with the government and law enforcement agencies to intervene before the crisis escalates.
Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lxntL3
Tuesday, 21 February 2017
Another 171 Nigerians deported from Libya
Barely a week after 161 Nigerians returned from Libya, another batch of 171 Nigerians were yesterday deported from the troubled North African country.
The 171 Nigerians landed at the cargo section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, at about 4p.m, courtesy of the Federal Government and International Organisation for Migration’s (IOM).
Among the returnees were 109 female adults, two female children and one infant. Males were 49 adults, five children and five infants.
The Federal Government however, assured that the evacuation programme from Libya, being the seventh in about 14 months, will not continue endlessly, but would soon be wrapped up.
Unlike the 161 that voluntarily returned last week, yesterday’s returnees were actually forced out of Libya by the hostile treatment meted out to blacks by Libyan citizens and the authorities.
Senior Special Adviser to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who was on ground to receive the deportees, said that government valued their lives, hence had partnered with IOM and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to ensure their safe return.
Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lsTn9H
Lori-Ogbebor sues DESOPADEC, others over development funds
Human Rights activist, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, has instituted a suit against the board members of the Itshekiri Regional Council (IRC), management of Chevron Nigeria Limited and the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), before a Federal High Court in Warri.
She is asking the respondents to explain how funds meant for community development in Delta State have been spent over the years.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos yesterday, Ogbebor said she also joined the Delta State government in the suit, which is scheduled to come up tomorrow.
The Igba of Warri said she was not happy about the abject condition in the Niger Delta and especially among the Itsekiri people where poverty, youth unemployment and other vices were not supposed to be if the 13 per cent derivation meant for the development of the rural communities were judiciously spent.
Her words: “There is little the region could blame President Muhammadu Buhari or past leaders of the country for without first asking its leaders to account for the huge funds voted for the development of the area.
“There is no reason Delta State should be poor if it has judiciously managed the 13 per cent derivation as established in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with oil companies, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Amnesty programme.”
On the MoU between Chevron and the Niger Delta communities, Ogbebor pointed out that the aim of that agreement was to bring some hope and development to the area.
Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lsNmdh