Oil Pipeline Bombing: Military plans to hatch secret plans in Gbaramatu Kingdom - Niger Delta group

A Delta State group Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-CORRUPTION Crusade (FHRACC) has raised alarm over an alleged plans by the Nigerian military to cause mayhem in Gbaramatu Kingdom in the name of searching for the culprits who are responsible for the bombing of oil pipelines.

Minmah, Soldier

According to a statement issued by the group National President, Alaowei Cleric Esq, the group said that the military has issued an evacuation warning to the members of the community or face a hostile invasion.

Alaowei also noted that the soldiers shoot sporadically every night from Warri Naval Base to the direction of these communities.

The group President said ” The military attempt to unearth the perpetrators of the recent pipeline bombings in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West LGA of Delta State has taken a different dimension.

“What the military Joint Task Force is doing to the riverine communities is a demonstration of military prowess to its enemies in order to coerce them into doing its biddings.

“We are disturbed or rather appalled by the military belligerent attitudes towards the riverine Ijaw communities over the pipeline destruction by hoodlums.

“If the military refuses to retrace its aggressive steps towards these defenseless Ijaw communities then we may be forced to believe that the military has an ulterior motive against the Ijaw communities beyond looking for the culprits of the dastardly act.

“Our attention has been drawn to the activities of the Nigerian armed forces to the inhabitants of Sandfield 1 & 2, Ogbogbene, Hotel and Fenegbene in Warri South West LGA of Delta State.

“We’re reliably informed by members of these communities that the military has send a warning to them that they should evacuate theirs ancestral lands.

“They also said the military send a stern warning to them that should they refuse to heed to its warning, it’ll invade the communities in the name of searching for the culprits of the pipeline bombings.

“In a manner apparently to manifest its plan, the military is shooting sporadic gun shorts almost in every night from the Warri Naval Base into the direction the of these communities.

“The people cannot sleep with their two eyes close, while several others have deserted the communities as a result of the threatening gun shorts. Even up till this moment they are still running for their dear lives.

FHRACC agreed to the constitutional responsibility of the soldiers to fish out culprits but warned that it sh ouldn’t be used as an avenue to infringe on peoples’ right.

“We are quite aware that the military has the constitutional responsibility to apprehend the culprits at anywhere, it should not use its sacred duties to invade other people’s rights without any justification.

“These communities are far from the place where the said acts were alleged to have been carried out. What is happening to these communities has crumbled the business of the area. The people cannot go about their lawful business since the military threatened to attack them.”

 

Oil Pipeline Bombing: Military plans to hatch secret plans in Gbaramatu Kingdom - Niger Delta group

EFCC invade Warri water factory, dig for stolen money

MEN of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, set commotion yesterday among residents around a water factory in Warri, Delta state which they invaded to dig for “buried money”.

EFCC

A squad of the financial crime bursters, heavily armed men in their red blazon, stormed the De Park Bottling Company owned by Madam Moyegbone Comfort, located Off Ogunu Road in Warri.

A shocked Mr. Emma Omoregha, the company manager confirmed that, “they came in large number and ransacked everywhere, digging up places and even smashing doors.”

A private guard in the company added on anonymity that: “Nobody knew what the operation was about. They did not invite anybody only for the men to descend on the factory in black jeeps (SUVs) and started digging the compound with various instruments.

“They did not entertain question and refused to listen to anybody who asked to know their mission in the premises of the water company,” a staff further told our reporter.

Saturday Vanguard further gathered that EFCC men failed to unearth the expected stolen treasures after hours of laborious digging with shovels and hoes.

“As they were digging and searching, they were filming. They were disappointed that they did not find anything”, a source revealed. Authorities at the water factory however feared that the the commission might have planted incriminating evidence in the the dug out points in course of the fruitless investigation.

An EFCC source, not involved in the operation, hinted that the squad’s mission to the factory could be connected with a petition filed against the business owners. The water company is reportedly linked with Mr Tuoyo Omatsuli, former Executive Director of Projects at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

A confidant of the recently displaced NDDC director however defended that, “It is glaring that Omatsuli’s dealings at the NDDC were transparent and as a member of the APC, people are jittery that he could be reappointed when the dissolved board is reconstituted.

“We all support the EFCC’s fight against corruption because if not for corrupt leadership of this country we would be far ahead of where we are now.”

“The EFCC under Magu and the heads of the various zones should be wary of people who want to use the agency to settle personal scores and agendas. We are aware that some persons got money to pull off this operation,” the source added.

Contacted, EFCC’s spokesperson, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said he was not aware of the operation, demanding our reporter to avail him more information about the incident.

EFCC invade Warri water factory, dig for stolen money

Video: NNPC casual workers block gate entrance over unpaid salaries

By Ehi Ekhator, United Kingdom

Some angry casual staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) took to the street on Wednesday to protest their complete neglect by their contractors.

The workers blocked the entrance of the NNPC requesting for the payment of 9 months from the contractors.

One of the protesters who spoke with NAIJA CENTER NEWS said that the government paid the contractors who have refused to pay them.

 

A protester who didn’t want to be named said ” We are in Warri refinery, we are on a demonstration in refinery. They have held our salaries for seven months, some over twelve months. The promises we have been hearing is that there is no money, so we matched today that no one is going in and out until our monies are paid.

“The contractors owe the support staff for many months, they said they held their meetings and told us they will pay us at the end of the month, but we said that is too far”

“But what we knew was the former Managing Director, Engr Adewole ladenegan mismanage our fund which some of this present management were among”

Several calls put across to manager of one of the contractors,  Desire Mike were not answered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbyKn572LJM

Video: NNPC casual workers block gate entrance over unpaid salaries

Police recover 6 children, 2 pregnant girls from syndicate

Police in Delta State have recovered six children between the ages of one and five and two pregnant girls from an interstate child trafficking syndicate.

A man, Chidiebele Udeagba and his wife Nkiru Asouza along with four other collaborators in Akwa-Ibom and one in Onitsha, Anambra State have been arrested for the crime.

The state Commissioner of Police, Alkali Baba Usman who paraded the culprits and children at the police headquarters Asaba on Monday, advised parents, especially those from Akwa-Ibom and Cross River States whose children were stolen or are missing, to report to the state police command to check if any of their beloved ones are among the recovered children.

According to the police boss, the state anti robbery squad operatives immediately arrested Nkiru Asouza, following a tip off on the human and child trafficking syndicate cell in Asaba, who took them to Onitsha, where one Mary Okon was nabbed and the four children recovered.

The suspect was also said to have led the investigating team to Akwa-Ibom State, where Ekaete Sunday, Etieno Mary Bassey, Stella John and Esther Ezekiel were also arrested while the two pregnant girls were recovered from the suspects.

Usman said the suspects claimed that the two girls were directed to them after they were impregnated to enable them nurse the pregnancy with a view to selling the babies after delivery.

However, one of the pregnant girls and the six children has been handed over to the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs and one of them handed over to her parents.

The police also recovered two AK47 and one AK49 riffles, K2 riffle, 43 rounds of ammunition and Vento car with registration number AE681BKW from a daredevil three-man armed gang who have been terrorising Warri/Effurun and environs.

The gang according to Usman was attempting to carry out an armed robbery attack on the public when the police engaged them in a gun duel, killing them.

Meanwhile, two persons have been arrested at Aladja town, near Warri for removing parts of a dredger valued at N2 million, at a land beach. The security man meant to watch over the premises was reportedly tied down during the process of the attack. The police also recovered the sum of N419, 000 charms and two master keys from two hoodlums, who were trying to open a parked car along Airport road Warri.

Police recover 6 children, 2 pregnant girls from syndicate

Bank Manager Arrested over Foiled Bank Robbery

•   Kidnappers use Internet job offer as bait

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

An operations manager with a “new generation” bank located at Effurun, near Warri, has been arrested by the Delta State Police Command after he was allegedly fingered in a failed robbery attempt on the bank.

Police Inspector General, Solomon Arase

Also arrested by the police is a dispatch-rider with the bank, who allegedly connived with the said manager and others still at large to plan the robbery operation, which was however botched by the police and other security operatives.

An undisclosed amount of money allegedly hidden within the bank’s premises has also been recovered after the aborted bank robbery attempt.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs. Celestina Kalu, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), who revealed this to newsmen on Friday, said that the an attempt by bandits to rob the bank two weeks ago was foiled because the police had prompt intelligence on the plan.

She identified the bank’s operation manager as “one Francis Enebeme”, and the bank’s despatch rider who were allegedly involved in the planning and execution of the foiled robbery operation as “one Wilfred Akah”.

The PPRO said, “Following credible information that a gang of armed robbers had finalised plans to rob Enterprise Bank Plc, by Refinery Junction on Effurun-Sapele Road, Warri, operatives of SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad)  mounted surveillance around the Bank.”

Mrs. Kalu noted that the security surveillance paid off as the robbers were successfully beaten back by the police.

According to her, “At about 17.23hrs (5.23pm local rime) on September 4, 2015, the hoodlums invaded the said bank, but they were successfully repelled by a combined team of SARS operatives and mobile policemen on duty at the bank.

“Various sums of money hidden in the offices by the suspects were equally recovered”, the police spokeswoman said, adding that further investigation into the matter was ongoing.

Meanwhile, the PPRO also disclosed the successful rescue of a kidnapped victim when a team of policemen stormed the hideout of the kidnappers at Ibusa, near Asaba while they demanded for ransom form the family members.

The victim reportedly told the police after his rescue that he “was lured by the criminals to Ibusa through the internet for a job offer.”

The raid followed a tipoff, with two of the suspects reportedly arrested dying later from the bullet wounds they received. “However, the suspects later gave up the ghost on the way to hospital”, she said.

She revealed that “the hoodlums on sighting the policemen abandoned their victim, Mr Odaro David Iyawe, and fled.”

“The policemen shot and arrested the two suspects who gave their names as one Uche Nwadali of Nando in Anambra State, and Austin Okolie of Ibusa.

“The suspects named one Collins Oligidi, the son of the owner of the house where the victim was kept, currently on the run as their cohort.”

Bank Manager Arrested over Foiled Bank Robbery

Suspected fake policeman arrested in Warri

The Police in Delta State, said it had arrested one Mathew Ochoche parading himself as police corporal, while escorting a vehicle loaded with industrial machineries in Warri.

This is contained in a statement Police spokesperson in Delta, DSP Celestina Kalu, in Asaba on Saturday.

“Police patrol team attached to Quick Response Squad, Warri, intercepted a Ford Transit van with Reg. No. (Lagos) EPE 790 XH, on June 25.

“The vehicle was loaded with fairly used Mikano SP 20 generator and Denyo Daw-18083.0 KVA welding machine.

“The vehicle was being escorted by one Ochoche Matthew ‘m’ who was fully dressed in police uniform with F/No. 255038 and Cpl. rank.”

The statement said Ochoche claimed to be a serving policeman attached to No. 20 Squadron, Police Mobile Force, Lagos.

“However, preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect, who previously served with 20 PMF Lagos, have since been demobilised.

“Our investigation revealed that Ochoche was demobilised from the force on July 18, 2011. Mathew is no longer in the police service,” it stressed.

The statement added that the suspect was arrested for impersonation and is undergoing investigation and that the vehicle and the exhibits he was escorting had been impounded.

Suspected fake policeman arrested in Warri

We"ve not been paid for 10 months - NNPC casual workers cry out

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

The  Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has not paid his casual workers for the past 10 months, NAIJA CENTER NEWS has gathered.

Road to NNPC Warri

According to a source who preferred not to be named, the workers have not been paid due to lack of fund by the corporation.

It could be recalled that the The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) on Monday decided to withdraw its men from protecting the pipeline nationwide.

Yinka Oguntimehin, the spokesman for Gani Adams faction of the congress, said the decision was necessary as the corporation had yet to start paying for the work its men are doing.

“When we were given the contract on March 15, it was agreed that they will release money for the OPC personnel for effective protection of the NNPC pipelines nationwide.

“We lost one man last month because of the activities of the vandals here in Lagos, while some of our men were arrested in the course of protecting the pipelines.

“We had told them to release some of our money before the new administration took over, but they kept promising us.

“Enough is enough, three months have passed since our members started monitoring the pipeline, and we have fulfilled our part of the agreement.

The NNPC had been struggling to pay its workers for months due to diversion of petroleum products.

Though some quarters of the news said that it was because of the turn around maintenance that has been going on within the refinery in Warri, NAIJA CENTER NEWS gathered that there is no crude oil to refine at the moment and the crude oil sent to the refinery was diverted or landed in the wrong hand.

He said “The turn around maintenance talk is in the mouth and not in the refinery.

“Our salaries are supposed to be paid by the area deport office but can’t pay as the refinery can’t raise money from a refinery that has not been getting crude oil to refine due to the diversion.

“We believe the order of the diversion was from  Federal Government. but things are taking shape quickly now for the fear of the new President, Muhammadu Buhari since they heard that he will be visiting the refinery next month”

 

 

We"ve not been paid for 10 months - NNPC casual workers cry out

JTF discovers cache of arms, ammunition in Warri

By Akpokona Omafuaire

WARRI—THE Joint Task Force, JTF, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, has recovered arms and ammunition from pirates that attacked its troops on January 8.

It also arrested two suspected illegal bunkerers, rescued kidnapped victim and destroyed several illegal refineries and implements.

This was contained in a statement by Lt Col Ado Isa, Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre.

He said the arms recovery was the result of a cordon and search operations conducted by 146 Battalion of the task force.

Some of the things recovered were one AK 47 rifle with registration number 02430 and butt number 897 and two magazines, loaded with 30 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition each.

JTF discovers cache of arms, ammunition in Warri

N20m scandal hits Warri Carnival

By Egufe Yafugborhi & Akpokona Omafuaire

WARRI—Trouble looms in Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, as the chief promoter of Warri Carnival Enterprises and initiator of the carnival, Sunny Nikoro, has petitioned Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to ask chairman of the commission, Mr. Oritsuwa Kpogho, to account for the N20 million allegedly disbursed to yet-to-be-identified individuals for the hosting.

Nikoro said his outfit applied for sponsorship of the first ever Warri Carnival through DESOPADEC vide a letter dated September 2, 2013.

The petition, which was accompanied with relevant correspondences, added that the application was considered and the N20 million duly approved by Delta State House of Assembly in the 2013/2014 budget.

It said: “To our rude shock, when we requested that the money be remitted to Warri Carnival Enterprises account, we were told that the money had been disbursed to an unknown beneficiary.

“Warri Carnival Enterprises is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. Therefore, by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, any other body that goes by the name Warri Carnival or purported to have received monies on our behalf is a product of fraud, only intended to deceive and defraud the government and people of the state.”

Nikoro appealed to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to step into the matter and direct the chairman of DESOPADEC to do the needful before it was too late.

Efforts to get the commission’s chairman to comment on the allegation proved abortive as calls put across to his cell phone were not answered.

However, Vanguard was able to get through to the Head of Media in DESOPADEC, Mr. Rutherford, who said he was not competent to comment on the matter and referred Vanguard back to the chairman.

N20m scandal hits Warri Carnival

Man slaughters wife over claims of extra marital affairs

WARRI – POLICE in Delta State have arrested a man, Michael Akpore of Urhiephron, Ughelli South Council Area for reportedly killing his wife, Julie Akpore, 32, over claims of promiscuity.

A statement by DSP Celestina Kalu (Mrs.), Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Delta Command, indicated that the suspect reported himself to the Jeremi Police Division last Thursday, a couple of days after luring Julie to the bush along Iwhrekan/Ekakpamren Road where he allegedly butchered her with machete.

Kalu stated that the suspect claimed he “Killed the wife because she confessed that she was having extra marital affairs. He was promptly arrested, crime scene visited and corpse of the said woman recovered and deposited at the Jeremi Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.

“The motorcycle in which he used in conveying the deceased to the bush was also recovered. But the machete is being looked for as preliminary investigation is on going.”

 

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Man slaughters wife over claims of extra marital affairs

Police pursue, stop a robbery gang in Warri

POLICE at ‘B’ Division, Warri, Delta State and some youths pursued and stopped a robbery gang from  their operation at Okumagba Avenue in Warri at the weekend.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Celestina Kalu, in a statement, yesterday, said, “On 10/9/2014, at about 1300hrs, the DPO ‘B’ Division Warri, SP Imade Ghraham while in his office heard gun shots around Okumagba Avenue, Warri. Consequently, he quickly mobilized patrol teams to the scene.”

“The patrol team, assisted by some youths in the area chased the hoodlums into Okere-Urhobo community. During the pursuit and exchange of fire the hoodlums were forced by the superior fire power of the Police to abandon their operational weapons and flee with bullet wounds.

 

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Police pursue, stop a robbery gang in Warri

Christians kick against plans to tax churches

Warri— THE Chairman, Delta State Chapter of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Bishop Pius Odioko, has kicked against the proposal by the National Conference Committee to impose taxes on churches, saying it will attract the wrath of God.

Odioko, who spoke yesterday in Warri on behalf of PFN, wondered when the confab delegates turned to lawmakers.

According to the Presiding Bishop of Jesus Dominion Church, the confab delegates should concentrate on issues that will restore Nigeria’s dwindling image and the terrorism challenges.

“I am shocked and amazed that with the myriad of problems confronting Nigeria, it is the Church that the delegates decide to tax, instead of focusing their energy on important and serious matters.”

 

Christians kick against plans to tax churches

Gunmen kill vigilante chief in Warri

Unknown gunmen on Thursday evening killed the chairman of the Udu Central Vigilante, Prosper Erhinyojare, while sitting with friends along the DSC Expressway, Udu council area.

Gunmen

The Nation gathered that Erhinyojare was at a drinking joint, discussing with a friend at about 9pm, when his assailants arrived, shot him in the head and left him dead.

When reached for comments on the development, the Transition Committee Chairman of Udu council area, Hon. Raymond Edijala, regretted the death of Erhinyojare, describing him as a pillar of security in the area.

While sympathizing with the family of the deceased, the council boss called on youths in the society to desist from stealing and killing of innocent souls, saying that it does not pay to kill.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Delta state, Celestina Kalu (DSP), confirmed the incidence, saying that Erhinyojare was killed at a beer parlour close to Ufuoma Street Junction at Ekete-Inland community in Udu Local Government Area of the state by suspected assassins.

 

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Gunmen kill vigilante chief in Warri