Delta police apprehends three suspected child traffickers and another for counterfeit notes

By Akpokona Omafuaire

THE Delta State Police Command has arrested three suspected child traffickers and a 45 year old man for possession of counterfeit Naira notes.

This was contained in a press release by DSP Bright Edafe, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer on Saturday.

According to him, "On 28/6/2022, at about 1530hours, Operatives of Eagle-Net Special Squad while on routine patrol along Asaba/Onitsha bridge sighted a mob, attacking a man at Oko new international market in Asaba. 

"The team rushed to the scene and rescued the suspect named Michael Ozor age 45yrs of Abakiliki in Ebonyi State. The suspect was alleged to have made a POS transaction with fake Naira notes with intent to defraud the POS operator. 

"The suspect was arrested and fake naira notes to the tune of Eighty Thousand was recovered from him. Investigation is ongoing.

"On 24/6/2022, the Command received a complaint via petition to the Area Commander Asaba, written on behalf of  a victim of child trafficking (Name withheld) age 13yrs, a native of Izza North LGA of Ebonyi State, who was to be taken to Onicha-Ugbo for prostitution. 

"A combined team of Policemen and vigilante embarked on an intelligence led operation, which led to the arrest of three suspects namely; Ado-Obi Oguguo ‘f’ age 38yrs, Chidima Osita age 36yrs, and Nkirnka Ikechukwu ‘f’ age 30yrs, all residing at Omerigboma Village Oko, Oshimili South, Delta State. 

"Preliminary investigation revealed that, suspects were into prostitution, and on 22/6/2022, they arranged for a girl named Chidima surname unknown age 16yrs to be taken to Mali for prostitution. Investigation is ongoing and effort to arrest other members of the syndicate is ongoing."

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N/Delta activist appeals to Buhari, Mallami over delay in release of Ebiware and159 others

By Akpokona Omafuaire

Niger Delta activist and Ace Publisher of Daily Watch online newspapar, Mr. Cletus Opukeme has appealed to President Muhammadu  Buhari, Minister of Justice and  Attoney General of the federation Abubarkar Mallami to revisit the presidential pardon granted on Edmund Ebiware and 159 inmates to allow them rejoin with their families which they have been separated long ago.

Opukeme in a press release signed Thursday, said " President Muhammadu Buhari has done well by granting federal government proregative of Mercy on Mr. Edmund Ebiware and others  through a recommendation by a 12-man  presidential committee headed by Attoney General of the federation and Minister of Justice, Abubarka Mallami Ref N0: PACPM 2021, first phase, dated Thursday, September 2021''

The recommendation by the presidential committee was granted by Mr. President in last two months  and there was jubilation in the various affected families across the nation. But to our surprise, Mr. Edmund Ebiware and others who were duly pardoned by Mr. President are still behind bars, dashing the hopes and joy of both the freed inmates and their family members.'' He said.

The ace publisher however thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the good work by releasing some of the prison immates who have served several years in detention. But wondered why after Presidential pardon has been granted why prison officials decide not to allow them rejoin with their various families.

Opukeme urged President Muhammadu Buhari and Attoney General of the federation Abubarka Mallami to revisit the matter and allow the freed prisoners enjoy their freedom.

Breaking: Ondo Amotekun arrests killers of Owo worshippers, recovers vehicle and weapons

By Akpokona Omafuaire

The Ondo State Commander of the Security outfit codenamed Amotekun, Chief Àdetunji Adeleye, has said that the suspected killers of worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo state have been arrested.

Adeleye said this in Akure today, that the vehicle and of some weapons used by the suspected killers have been recovered by the security outfit.

According to him" we have arrested a number of those who perpetrated evil at the St Francis Catholic Church in Owo.

"We have also recovered the vehicle they used last after the deadly operation. We have also recovered some of their weapons.

" They came on motorcycles and hijacked a Golf vehicle.

" We have successfully recovered the vehicle and will soon arrest all the killers

Details later

Source: Vanguard newspapers

Residents lament bad roads in Warri, seek Okowa's intervention

By Akpokona Omafuaire

As the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State winds up, residents in Warri have continued to laments the poor state of some of the roads in the oil rich city of Warri, calling on the governor to fix them before he exits office.

The residents said they have suffered untold hardship for the past seven years as a result of the bad roads which have affected their economic state because their businesses have continued to be on the downward slide due to effects of bad roads.

One resident who gave his name as Mr Okonedo Andrew who resides at at 12 Ojugo Street, off Giwa-Amu Road, Warri told our correspondent that they have been suffering because of the bad road since he moved into the street.

Okonedo said when he moved into the street,  he did not know that the street was that bad because he moved in during the dry season. He said the street is always flooded every raining season leaving some residents with no choice than to seek shelter with their relatives elsewhere until the rainy season is over.

According to Okonedo, "We have written several letter to the state government through the Commissioner for Works and all to no avail. All they keep telling us for the past seven years is that they will soon start work on the road.

"For those of us who live and have stores here, we cannot do any business during this rainy season because the whole street is  flooded. I am a tailor and I have my store here but because of the bad road customers no longer come because the whole place is flooded," he said.

Another resident, Mr Kiesena Omoyibo who lives at 22 Ginuwa Road in Warri said that they have been experiencing flood in the street for over eight years, adding that on several occasions the flood entered their houses whenever it rains.

He said, "this road has been like this for so many years and government have refused to come and fix it for us. We have to fold our trousers and pull our shoes in our hands anytime we are going out and coming in.

"Okowa should please come to our aide because we are suffering. People call Okowa the Road Master but we are not feeling the impact of that name in this street. He should come and fix this road for us before he leaves office so that we can say he has done something for us," he said.

Several roads in the oil-rich city including the Effurun Roundabout, Sokoh Estate, First Marine Gate, Etuwewe, Uti  among many others are in very bad shape and residents are calling on the state government under the leadership of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to come to their aid.

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BREAKING: Kidnapped Methodist Prelate regains freedom

By Akpokona Omafuaire

The Methodist Church Prelate, His Eminence Samuel Uche, kidnapped Sunday afternoon along two other clerics by suspected herdsmen on the Lokpa axis of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway way has regained his freedom.

He was released along with other victims Monday evening.

Police Public Relations Officer PPRO in charge of Abia State, Geoffrey Ogbonna who confirmed this to Vanguard said there were no details yet.

Source: Vanguard newspapers

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BREAKING: Tompolo is not dead, disregard such rumour - Bebenimibo

By Akpokona Omafuaire

WARRI - CONTRARY to rumours in the social media that Tompolo was killed in Bayelsa State, Dr. Paul Bebenimibo, media adviser to High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo, Niger Delta Freedom fighter and High Priest of Egbesu Deity has refuted the news, saying he is hale, hearty, and doing well by God’s grace.

Some online news sites had reported that Tompolo was shot dead in Bayelsa during the House of Representatives primary election.

Bebenimibo in a press release yesterday said that the Delta State-born freedom fighter is hale and hearty.

According to him, “The attention of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has been drawn to an online report that one Tompolo was killed in Ogbia during the People’s Democratic Party primaries for House of Reps and Senate.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this story has nothing to do with High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo. He is hale, hearty, and doing well by God’s grace. The general public should know that High Chief Government Ekpemupolo is a leader of the masses and will continue to speak for the masses.

“He is in high spirit, hoping that God Almighty will help our great country to transit successfully to another government come 2023. He is praying for peace and stability in this country and is always willing to contribute his quarter to the development of this country socially, economically, and otherwise.

“He urges the general public to disregard the malicious online report of his death,” it concluded.    

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REVEALED: 59 million people were displaced in 2021 - Report

 Geneva – A record 59.1 million people were internally displaced in 2021 according to the newly released International Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)’s Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID). This is an additional 4 million people living in displacement at the end of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. 

For the last 15 years, disasters have triggered most internal displacement, with annual numbers significantly higher than those related to conflict and violence. 2021 was no exception – 23.7 million internal displacements, mainly in Asia-Pacific, and resulting from weather-related events including floods, storms and cyclones. With the expected impacts of climate change and without ambitious climate action, the numbers will likely increase in the coming years. 

Conflict and violence have triggered 14.4 million internal displacements in 2021, an increase of almost 50 per cent compared with the previous year. The majority of internal displacements took place in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the violence and conflict in Afghanistan and Myanmar also displacing unprecedented numbers of people. 

This year’s report includes a special focus on children and youth in internal displacement, who account for more than 40 per cent of the total number of internally displaced persons in 2021. The report explores the impacts of internal displacement on their well-being and their future and fills data and knowledge gaps that are key to finding durable solutions that address risks and impacts of displacement on children and youth today and in the future, and ultimately contribute to build more resilient and sustainable societies. 

Gaps in how we understand and address internal displacement in conflict and disaster contexts remain. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is proud to partner with IDMC and to provide reliable and accurate data through its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), the world’s largest source of primary data on internal displacement. Building on a long-standing relationship, IOM and IDMC signed a Global Partnership in 2018 to join forces in improving data and to accelerate policymaking and action on internal displacement. Since 2020, IOM also co-chairs the International Data Alliance for Children on the Move (IDAC), a coalition of governments, international and regional organizations, NGOs, think tanks, academics, and civil society aiming to improve statistics and data on migrant and forcibly displaced children. Understanding, managing, and adapting to human mobility trends is crucial to ensure humanitarian assistance and essential services are reaching people where they are most needed.

IOM welcomes the newly released IDMC’s GRID report as a valuable tool for the organization and other humanitarian partners and governments in their responses to evolving needs of communities affected by crises around the world