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Nigeria has commenced discussions with Brazil to facilitate direct flights between both countries.
Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, began negotiations with Carlos Garcete, Brazilian ambassador to Nigeria, to activate the bilateral air service agreement (BASA) and initiate direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil.
In a statement on October 7, Tunde Moshood, special adviser, media and communications to the minister, said the move is in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu.
On August 29, Tinubu urged the Brazilian ambassador to Nigeria, to prioritise the establishment of direct flights between both countries.
“During the discussions, both envoys emphasized the need for new BASA arrangements to reflect current realities in the aviation world,” the ministry said..
“This meeting stems from the mutual interests shared by President Tinubu and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during a meeting in Addis Ababa in February 2024, where they agreed to reinitiate the BASA arrangements, recognizing the cultural and economic ties between Nigeria and Brazil.”
To ensure the successful finalisation of the initiative, both countries agreed to set up committees to draft and finalise new BASA arrangements.
The ministry said two Nigerian airlines, Air Peace and Caverton, have been designated to operate on the route, further highlighting the strategic partnership between the two nations.
According to the ministry, the Nigerian aviation industry is expected to see increased expansion and global reach upon the operationalisation of the agreement.
Speaking on the importance of the direct flights, Garcete highlighted the potential for immediate commencement of flight services, noting that both nations could facilitate four to five flights per week.
“The introduction of direct flights will spark significant economic growth between our countries,” he said.
However, he said the open skies agreement needs to be finalised to fully enable the proposed flights.
The ambassador also extended an invitation to the minister to visit Brazil for the formal signing of the agreement, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria-Brazil relations.
On his part, Keyamo, while expressing appreciation for the ambassador’s visit, noted the optimism about the potential economic impact of the BASA.
“There are numerous similarities between Nigeria and Brazil, and the activation of these flights will not only enhance trade but also strengthen cultural and social exchanges,” the minister said.
Keyamo reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to advancing bilateral aviation agreements that foster economic development and connectivity.
The Federal Government is set to deliver up to 400,000 barrels of Nigerian crude oil daily to the Dangote refinery under its naira-for-crude agreement, a report by Bloomberg stated on Monday.
It said this significant development is expected to take place over the next two months, amounting to 24 million barrels of Nigerian supply between October and November 2024.
This increase in processing capacity could have substantial implications for both the refinery’s operations and the local oil industry, transforming the region’s import and export markets.
This new development follows the announcement by the Federal Government that the naira-for-crude deal has commenced.
The PUNCH had exclusively reported on Monday that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited is set to begin the supply of crude oil in naira to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery this week with three more refineries set to start the production of Premium Motor Spirit.
According to cargo allocations reviewed by Bloomberg News, Dangote’s increasing reliance on local feedstock will disrupt the Atlantic oil market by substantially decreasing Nigeria’s crude exports.
The 650,000-barrel-a-day plant — larger than any other in Africa or Europe — will claim 13 to 14 shipments from Nigeria’s typical monthly program of about 50 cargoes.
The West African crude market is set to be “substantially tighter” in the fourth quarter because of the supply to Dangote, said Ronan Hodgson, a London-based analyst at FGE.
The volumes could even send Nigerian exports below 1 million barrels a day, he said.
Some shipments over the next two months may not be delivered as planned, and October’s list includes two cargoes already delayed from September.
Still, the scheduled volume is significantly larger than the average 255,000 barrels a day of Nigerian oil taken in by Dangote over the first half of the year as it gradually ramped up processing, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Dangote is already running at 60-70 per cent capacity and will reach its full rate within months, project management firm Engineers India Ltd. Chairman Vartika Shukla said last month.
The latest allocations also suggest that Dangote has continued to curtail its buying of US crude, according to traders.
Earlier this year, the refinery imported millions of barrels of WTI Midland, before re-selling some of the oil and scrapping plans to buy more.
Nigerian National Petroleum Co. reached an agreement with Dangote last month under which the country’s state-owned energy firm will supply crude in return for being the sole distributor of the refinery’s crucial gasoline production.
If Dangote’s ramp-up continues to advance in the coming months, Nigeria could start to realize its long-held goal of curbing costly oil product imports.
“If the refinery runs at higher rates, the West African market for gasoline and diesel imports will shrink extremely quickly,” FGE’s Hodgson said.
The Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, has approved the immediate implementation of a minimum wage of ₦72,500 for civil servants in the state.
The Governor also announced a one-year suspension of the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax, adding that no form of deductions would be made within the next year from the salaries of civil servants in the state.
Governor Ododo made this known on Monday during the unveiling of the new minimum wage package for civil servants in the state.
Signing the agreement after receiving a report from the Kogi state minimum wage implementation committee, the Governor said the new minimum wage is to enable workers cope with the current economic situation in the country.
In his words: “I can not forget where I came from, I am a man from a humble background who became who I am by the grace of God and will therefore not use my position to oppress anyone but to better the lots of the people.
“You people generously elected me as your governor, and the resources of the state belong to you all, I am just your chief servant and I will ensure that the resources are allocated to all sectors fairly and equitably.
“All you have seen today is the painstaking efforts of the labour leaders and government who conducted staff audit screenings in the previous administration all in a bid to ensure that the right people take what belongs to them as workers and not ghost workers.”
Ododo, while assuring prompt payment, appealed to workers in the state to continue to cooperate with his administration and give him all the necessary support to succeed.
The Chairman of the State Minimum Wage Committee, who is also the Head of Service,Elijah Evenemi, said the agreement on the minimum wage is not a victory for any political party but for the good of the masses.
He appreciated the governor for giving the committee a free hand to operate and achieve a common goal.
The Rivers State Police Command have remained silent amid sudden violence that erupted at several local government council secretariats on Monday morning.
DAILY POST reports that suspected “political thugs” believed to be supporters of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, attacked the Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Eleme, and Emohua local government council secretariats on Monday morning, barely 24 hours after Governor Sim Fubara swore in newly elected LG chairmen.
The attackers reportedly barricaded the council entrances and fired shots indiscriminately.
These actions are allegedly aimed at preventing the newly elected LG chairmen from resuming in their offices.
On Monday, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the immediate withdrawal of Police personnel from the 23 Rivers State LG secretariats after over three months of deployment.
In Bori, Khana LGA, a gunfight broke out after armed men opened fire on members of a political party, leading to an exchange of fire between the attackers and the Police.
Reports also indicate that the Bori Police Division recovered the body of a civilian who was fatally shot during the confrontation.
In Eleme, arsonists set fire to the local council in an effort to prevent the newly elected chairman from taking office.
Similarly, heavy gunfire was reported in Obio/Akpor LGA, where assailants sought to disrupt the inauguration of councilors by the local government chairman.
Also, a viral video obtained by DAILY POST showed the Ikwerre LG secretariat engulfed in flames, while in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, plastic chairs were scattered at the secretariat’s entrance following further disruptions by the alleged political thugs.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that three people have been killed in the chaos across Obio/Akpor, Khana, and Ahoada East LGAs.
Despite numerous calls for action, the state police command has yet to comment on the situation or take decisive steps to restore order and security at the affected secretariats.
[DailyPost]
Staff of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike on Monday following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the agency’s management.
This is coming after a meeting convened on Friday, October 4, 2024 over unresolved issues.
The staff’s demands include a review and re-evaluation of the 2024 promotion examination results, which currently show a pass rate of only 35 percent.
The union is also advocating for a minimum benchmark of 80 percent for this year’s and future promotion exams.
Another significant demand is the settlement of salary arrears for employees hired in 2022.
In a statement signed by the association’s Secretary, Ejor Michael, the union accused NAFDAC management of neglecting their grievances, labelling the inaction as insufferable.
The striking workers, following the directive of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), have been instructed to withdraw all services and vacate their offices.
They were also told to remove personal belongings as the strike commences.
The workers have vowed to continue the strike until all demands listed in their communiqué are fulfilled.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has officially ceased its exclusive purchase arrangement with Dangote Refinery, opening the market for other petroleum marketers to buy petrol directly from the refinery.
This significant development, reported by PREMIUM TIMES, shifts the market away from the NNPC’s exclusive purchasing role, providing room for marketers to negotiate prices with Dangote on a “willing buyer, willing seller” basis.
This transition aligns with Nigeria’s current market practices for fully deregulated products like diesel, aviation fuel, and kerosene, which are already open to direct sales.
Dangote Refinery, with its 650,000 barrels per day capacity, began producing petrol in September. Initially, Dangote’s Vice President, Devakumar Edwin, noted that the NNPC would be the exclusive buyer.
However, recent statements from the NNPC clarified that the refinery is free to sell to any interested marketer, removing its previous single-offtaker stance.
On 15 September, NNPC began loading petrol from Dangote Refinery, but it initially limited access to major marketers.
Independent marketers, however, were excluded from lifting the product.
Responding to this, Nigeria’s House of Representatives called on the government to instruct both NNPC and Dangote Refinery to allow independent marketers access.
Lawmaker Oboku Oforji expressed concern that excluding independent marketers could foster monopolistic practices, ultimately pushing some marketers to import fuel to stay competitive.
“NNPCL and the major marketers being the exclusive off-takers spells monopoly, which is tantamount to greed. This is the same NNPC Ltd that has failed to manage our crude and refineries for decades,” the lawmaker said at the time.
Further fueling the discussion, sources confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that NNPC intends to step down as the sole purchaser, enabling direct access to the refinery’s petrol for all marketers.
This change may encourage competitive pricing and help stabilize supply chains. The NNPC spokesperson was unavailable for comment, but an official did confirm the news, stating, “Yes, it is true. We can no longer continue to bear that burden.”
In September, NNPC reportedly purchased petrol from Dangote at ₦898.78 per litre but resold to marketers at ₦765.99 per litre, absorbing a subsidy of nearly ₦133 per litre.
During this period, NNPC lifted approximately 103 million litres of petrol from Dangote Refinery, although only 2,207 of 3,621 scheduled trucks were successfully loaded, accounting for just 26% of the targeted volume.
Market Implications
NNPC’s exit as the exclusive petrol buyer signals a move toward a fully liberalized fuel market in Nigeria, potentially ending petrol subsidies.
With NNPC no longer responsible for the price differential, marketers will now purchase at cost directly from Dangote and set their own prices, which could result in higher fuel prices for consumers.
Additionally, marketers can now source petrol from multiple suppliers, not just Dangote, fostering a more competitive market environment that could contribute to supply stability across Nigeria.
This broader access might also stimulate investment in storage and distribution infrastructure, potentially improving product availability nationwide.
The Rivers State Police Command has officially unsealed all 23 Local Government Area Secretariats in the state, following the successful election and swearing-in of new chairmen.
This development was confirmed in a statement released by the Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, earlier on Monday morning.
According to Iringe-Koko, the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, CP Mustapha Bala, acted on the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to withdraw all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the council secretariats.
The statement emphasized that the police presence in these locations will only be reinstated in the event of a crisis or a breakdown of law and order.
The statement reads, “In view of the recent political developments in Rivers State, the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Bala Mustapha hereby convey the directives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, for the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the Local Government Secretariats in the state.
“This decision is in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions.
“Consequently, the IGP has ordered the unsealing of the Local Government Secretariats, which were earlier secured by police personnel. The police will only be redeployed to these locations in the event of any crisis or breakdown of law and order, in which case emergency measures will be swiftly implemented to restore normalcy.
“The Rivers State Police Command assures the public of its readiness to maintain peace and order across the state and will continue to act professionally in discharging its duties. We urge all residents and stakeholders to remain calm and law-abiding as the situation evolves.”
The Labour Party, on Sunday, welcomed the offer by the New Nigeria People’s Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, to be running mate to LP’s Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election.
Kwankwaso, in a recent viral post, indicated his willingness to serve as running mate the former Labour Party presidential flag bearer barely two years after talks between both parties went south.
The PUNCH reported that the LP and the NNPP had considered a merger ahead of the 2023 general elections, but the inability of either Obi or Kwankwaso to concede the leadership collapsed the heightened move.
The former governor of Kano State, who spoke in Hausa, expressed his readiness via a circulated video on his official account provided ‘certain conditions are met.’
Kwankwaso, who acknowledged his rising political profile stated: “I’m bigger than Peter Obi politically; I’m his elder brother, I’m a PhD holder, I performed better than him when I was the governor of my state. I’ve no problem with deputising for Peter Obi, but only if certain conditions are met.”
He further expressed the possibility of engaging in meaningful discussions with Obi, noting: “We are willing to engage in discussions, provided that trust is established.”
In the last elections, Peter Obi of the Labour Party emerged third position, securing approximately 6,101,533 votes, while Kwankwaso garnered 1,496,687 votes to emerge a distant fourth position.
It should be recalled that Kwankwaso has been vocal in his criticism of the Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government, faulting the government’s economic policies which has plunged Nigerians into hardship.
Reacting in an exclusive interview, the National Secretary of LP, Umar Farouk, told The PUNCHthat the renewed move by Kwankwaso was a welcome development.
He also appealed to the former Kano governor not to kill the merger talk again with his insinuation of being a better politician and holding a higher education degree.
He said, “As a political party, we stand for good governance and we have equally given all our candidates, both former and serving ones, the opportunity to choose how to associate with people of like-minds who share the philosophy and ideology of the Labour Party.
“We are happy Kwankwaso has alighted from the high horse he was riding and willing to offer himself to Obi as deputy having seen he garnered more than six million votes at the 2023 election. With his so-called popularity in the North, Kwankwaso could only amass less than two million votes.
“Again, he should stop this talk of being a bigger politician and PhD holder. What did he even do as a minister of defence? This is why we advise politicians to always consider tne dynamics of politics to gauge the temperament of the electorate at a particular time.
“Of course, we know what played out in 2023 will be different from 2027. It will be in the interest of Nigerians if Obi and Kwankwaso are willing to come together and wrest power from the APC government. But again, we know the sitting government will not go to sleep and allow the renewed move to work.”
‘Tinubu will emerge victorious’
Meanwhile, despite criticisms of President Bola Tinubu’s reform policies by the opposition, a legislative Aide to the Deputy President of the Senate,Alhaji Ado Garba (Tati), however expressed optimism that he re-clinch the Presidential seat with a landslide victory in 2027.
According to Tati, while exchanging vrews with newsmen in Kano on Sunday, he is confident that the people of Kano would massively vote for President Tinubu and the APC in 2027.
“It is because of the goodwill of the Deputy President of the Senate,Barau Jibrin, which the people of the state have been enjoying.”
Such goodwil, he explained,include Senator Barau’s women and youths empowerment programmes, scholarship schemes, desilting of dams, provision of Federal and feeder Roads and irrigation schemes in the Kano North Senatorial Distric, which he represents in the National Assembly.
Other initiatives, he said, include the distribution of 60 trucks to farmers free, establishment of a Transport Service, with over 1000 buses and facilitating siting of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) campus in Kano North Senatorial Zone.
“All these programmes have impacted positively on the lives of the people of Kano North in particular,and the people of Kano State in general.”
Similarly,Tati stated that,Senator Barau’s populist programmes have been attracting more membership for the APC in the state, with the Deputy President of the Senate receiving thousands of NNPP supporters into the APC fold.
So far, he said Barau had received thousands of NNPP supporters, who defected to the APC “notwithstanding the fact that Kano State Government is an NNPP controlled state, and we are still counting.”
“Following Senator Barau’s initiatives and development programmes coupled with President Tinubu’s realistic and patriotic reform policies will induce the people of the state to vote for President Tinubu en masse in 2024,”Tati added.
![[PRESS RELEASE] AKWA IBOM STATE: Swearing-In Of Elected Local Government Officers](/media/k2/items/cache/dc2c1a47b246c522d873522e52ed9b15_S.jpg?t=20241006_193953)
SERAP Advises Tinubu To Seize Allocations Of States That Have Failed To Conduct LG Elections
AFOLABI
The Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has advised President Bola Tinubu against releasing allocations to states that have failed to conduct credible local government elections.
Naija News reports that on October 5, states such as Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom and Jigawa conducted their local government elections.
However, most states are yet to conduct their grassroot elections.
Speaking on the development, SERAP described the action as wrong.
In a statement by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, on Sunday, SERAP asked Tinubu to direct the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun, to withhold federal allocations of states that have failed to conduct credible local government elections.
The organization also asked the President to ensure that any allocations from the Federation Account are paid only to democratically elected local government councils and no other body or institution
The statement read in part, “Your government has the obligation to enforce the Nigerian Constitution and to prevent public wrong, including by state governors.
“A democratically elected local government council does not and should not exist at the pleasure, whims and caprice of governors or their political godfathers.
“Your government also has the constitutional obligation to ensure accountability for the spending of federal allocations and immediate compliance with the judgment by the Supreme Court and the rule of law.”
More...
…recovers large consignments of illicit drugs in Ikorodu warehouse, others
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a 41-year-old Canadian woman, Adrienne Munju, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos for importing a large consignment of ‘Canadian Loud’, a strong strain of synthetic cannabis.
Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, October 6, said the suspect was arrested during the inward clearance of passengers on KLM airline flight from Canada at terminal 1 of the Lagos airport on Thursday 3rd October 2024.
Babafemi said during a joint examination of her three bags, Adrienne who was coming to Nigeria for the first time was found with 74 parcels of the illicit substance weighing 35.20 kilograms stuffed in two of her three bags.
According to him, in her statement, she claimed she was recruited to traffic the consignment through an online platform for 10,000 Canadian dollars upon successful delivery in Lagos.
She said she took the offer because she needed the money to pay for her ongoing master’s degree programme in Canada.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the Port Harcourt Ports, Onne, Rivers state have intercepted 13,298,000 pills of opioids including Tramadol, Tramaking Quick Action Tramadol, Tamol-X, Royal Tapentadol and Carisoprodol as well as 338, 253 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup, all worth over N9,017, 771,000 in street value.
Babafemi said the opioids were recovered in three containers coming from India, targeted by the NDLEA during a 100% joint examination of the cargoes with men of the Nigerian Customs and other port stakeholders on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd October 2024.
The statement reads: “Similarly, NDLEA operatives at the Tincan seaport in Lagos on Thursday 3rd October intercepted 100 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 50kg. The consignment was packed in 20 parcels each in five jumbo bags concealed in a container with four units of imported vehicles that came from Canada.
“Though the container had earlier been cleared out of the ESS Libra Bonded Terminal in Ikorodu based on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives were able to trace it to a warehouse in Ikorodu where the illicit consignments were discovered in one of the imported vehicles, a Toyota Sienna bus. A suspect, Abubakar Shuaibu Ibrahim has already been taken into custody in connection with the seizure.
“In Taraba, NDLEA officers on Thursday 3rd October intercepted a commercial bus marked JAL 198 YQ coming from Onitsha, Anambra state to Jalingo. Large quantities of opioids: tramadol, Rohypnol and codeine-based syrup concealed in body compartments of the vehicle were recovered when it was searched, while two suspects: Pako Thomas and Emmanuel Anyigor were arrested.
“Another suspect, Chibuzor Okafor was arrested at Wukari on Wednesday 2nd October with 80 blocks of cannabis weighing 38kg hidden in bags of garri.
“In Lagos, a suspect Bolanle Ajenifuja was on Friday 4th October arrested at AfoMedia area of Ojo where 700 litres of skuchies, a mixture of local Chapman and a cocktail of illicit drugs were recovered from her, while three suspects: Ezekiel Akpele; Elijah Michael; and Goddard John, were nabbed same day when NDLEA operatives raided two cannabis farms located at bridge camp, a boundary community between Edo and Ondo states.
“Not less than 9,966.332kg of the substance was destroyed on over three hectares of farmland with 48kg of the already processed psychoactive substance recovered.
“With the same vigour, Commands, and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities among others in the past week. These include WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Government Science Secondary School, Musawa, Katsina; students and teachers of Akanu Ibiam Memorial Seminary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; students and staff of Community High School, Ile Ogbo, Osun, and students of Dominion Secondary School, Okon, Akwa Ibom state, among others.
“While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Tincan, PHPC, Lagos, Edo, and Taraba Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.”
[TheNation]
The Rivers State Government will swear in the 23 chairmen declared winners of Saturday’s Local Government Council elections this afternoon (Sunday).
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) announced that the Action Peoples Party (APP) won all 23 local government area chairmanship seats in the election.
The State Government also confirmed that the election has concluded, and it will swear in the winners today.
In a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Wenike Danagogo, it was announced that the chairmen would be sworn in at 4 pm.
The statement read: “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, the Governor of Rivers State, will today, Sunday, October 6, 2024, swear in the newly elected Council Chairmen at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt, by 4pm.
The newly elected Chairmen, along with one (1) guest each, are expected to be seated by 3:30 pm.”
Background
Recall the elections took place, yesterday, amid gunshots, bomb explosions and protests in some parts of the state.
The development, which did not fall short of pre-election predictions, left many residents worried, especially as a result of minimal presence of the police across all polling areas.
Sunday Vanguard observed that irrespective of widespread fears of violence across 23 Local Government Areas, LGAs in Rivers, the turnout appeared substantial. In many areas monitored, the exercise kicked off early without the presence of the police following the supply of sensitive and non-sensitive materials by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission,RSIEC.
The police had earlier said they were not providing security for the polls given a court order restraining them and other security agencies from providing security during the poll. A Federal High Court in Abuja had prevented the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from releasing the 2023 voter register to RSIEC. It also stopped the Inspector-General of Police and Department of State Services, DSS, from providing security for the exercise.
The matter pitched the camp of Governor Siminalyi Fubara and Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, against each other, thereby heightening tension in the state. However, RSIEC said it had received a copy of the voter register from INEC since last year.
Earlier, Wike’s supporters staged a protest in Port Harcourt, kicking against the election.
[Vanguard]
Officials of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC and voters ran for their lives when police officers stormed Elekahia Primary School in Port Harcourt City local government area, on Saturday.
About 21 Hilux patrol vans with heavily armed officers drove into the school which has 10 polling units.
Officials of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSEIC) who had set up their stands were chased out of the Ward.
One of the policemen was heard saying, ‘”Come here, remove that vest. What are you doing here? Common move!”
The policemen, some of whom were masked, also asked the officials to remove their vest and hand it to them.
The operatives also shot teargas canister directly into the crowd of people who who were running for their lives.
A policeman fired another teargas at by-standers at the entrance of the Street and residents who came out to cast their votes ran helter-skelter.
Many of RSIEC officials, voters and residents of the community ran into Boms streets in Elekahia community in confused manner, thereby creating tension in the area, as the several police patrol vans sped out of the area with many election materials.
When contacted, spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was not aware of the incident.
“I’m not aware. You are just telling me now, ” she said.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, had ordered his men not to provide security during the election, citing a court order.
On the election eve, Governor Siminalayi Fubara had accused the IGP of taking orders from some politicians in Abuja.
He had also vowed to hold Egbetokun responsible if there is breakdown of law and order in the state.
However, the IGP denied the allegations in a statement issued by Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi.
[DailyTrust]
The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that two separate explosions occurred in different parts of the state on Saturday.
It reported that the first explosion took place at the All Progressives Congress Secretariat along Aba Road, while the second struck the Obio/Akpor Local Government Secretariat, just outside Port Harcourt.
Grace Iringe-Koko, spokesperson for the State Police Command, stated in a press release that both explosions happened almost simultaneously.
Iringe-Koko further mentioned that police units responded swiftly, visiting the scenes and collecting samples for investigation.
Meanwhile, elections in the state have concluded in many areas, though they were disrupted in some locations by armed men dressed in police uniforms and others believed to be political thugs.
The statement read: “The Rivers State Police Command was alerted to two explosions that rocked the city of Port Harcourt on Saturday, 5 October 2024.
“The first explosion was reported at the APC Secretariat on Aba Road at approximately 3:00 AM. A security guard heard a loud bang, and upon investigation, observed three black Toyota Hilux vans speeding away from the scene. The explosion caused significant damage, destroying the gate, shattering the windows, and setting the security building on fire.
“The second explosion occurred at the Obio/Akpor Council Secretariat around 3:30 AM. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a black Toyota Hilux van and a white Toyota Sienna minivan drive past the secretariat. The occupants allegedly threw an object, suspected to be a stick of dynamite, which shattered the roof and damaged the generator house of the complex.
“In response to these incidents, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Anti-Bomb Squad were mobilised to both locations.
“An improvised explosive device was recovered at the APC Secretariat, and the team identified the use of incendiary materials in the arson of the security building.
The Anti-Bomb Squad collected samples from both scenes for forensic analysis, and investigations are ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators of these heinous acts. We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.
“We assure the residents of Port Harcourt that every possible measure is being taken to enhance security and ensure the safety of our community.”
[Punch]