INEC official kidnapped in Bayelsa, result sheets lost in capsized boat

The Independent National Electoral Commission has reported the abduction of one of its officials in the Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

In a statement on Friday, Wilfred Ifogah, head of INEC voters’ registration in the state, said the electoral official was kidnapped while waiting to board a boat at the jetty.

In a statement on its verified X account on Friday night, Wilfred Ifogah, the head of INEC voters’ registration in the state, said the abduction took place as the official was waiting to board a boat at the jetty.

He also revealed that a boat carrying election personnel and materials to southern Ijaw LGA has capsized and result sheets were lost during the incident.

“We wish to confirm that a boat carrying election personnel to registration area 17 (Koluama) in southern Ijaw LGA capsized,” the statement read.

“Fortunately no life was lost as all the election personnel numbering 12 and the boat operator were rescued.

“We however lost our result sheets, power banks and luggage containing personal effects of staff.

“The total number of registered voters in the affected registration areas is 5,368 and the number of PVCs collected is 5,311.

“INEC is making efforts to ensure the conduct of election in the affected area.

“INEC also reports that its SPO assigned to registration area 06 (Ossioma) in Sagbama LGA was abducted while waiting to board at Amassoma jetty“The security agencies have been notified,” the statement concluded.

Bayelsa state govt declares 7-day break for workers over flood disaster

The Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has asked civil servants to stay at home for a week due to difficulties being faced as a result of the flood disaster ravaging the state.

Governor Diri announced this during a statewide broadcast on Tuesday morning, October 18.

He stated that though the flood is a natural disaster that has affected many other States of the Federation to various degrees, nearly a million people in over 300 communities in the State, have been internally displaced while some deaths have been reported.

He said critical infrastructure like hospitals, roads, bridges and schools, including the state-owned Niger Delta University in Amassoma, the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, and the University of Africa, Toru-Orua, have been severely affected.

“We urgently solicit the support of Multinationals, International Donor Agencies, the Red Cross, Diplomatic Missions and people of goodwill to come to the aid of our state.

I appeal to Mr. President to consider special grants to the state from the Stabilization Fund, Ecological Fund and Natural Resources Fund.

Over the last few days, floods have overwhelmed our communities and severely impacted the lives and livelihood of our people.

This is a natural disaster that has affected many other states of the Federation to various degrees. I have been on a tour of several of our communities to see at first hand the extent of destruction.

Our experience has shown that the flood water empties into our State.

From my personal assessment, the situation is dire. Nearly a million people in over 300 communities in the State, have been internally displaced. Unfortunately, some deaths have been reported.

The narrative is the same across Sagbama, Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Ogbia, Yenagoa, Nembe and Kolokuma Opokuma Local Government Areas. Businesses have been shut, properties lost and farm lands destroyed. We have a humanitarian crisis.

Critical infrastructure like hospitals, roads, bridges and schools, including the state-owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma, the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, and the University of Africa, Toru-Orua, have been severely affected.

As I make this address, Bayelsa State is completely severed from the rest of the country as portions of the strategic East-West Road, the sole access to and from the state, between Ughelli and Patani in Delta State as well as Okogbe and Ahoada in Rivers State have collapsed with a high volume of flood water occupying the stretch.

Economic hardship has set in, as food, medical provisions and energy are now in short supply. The situation is desperate and getting worse.

I wish to on behalf of the people of Bayelsa, sincerely thank Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, for his kind directive to the different federal agencies to come to assist the state.

I urge them to comply with this presidential directive expeditiously.Without exaggeration, the sheer scale of the devastation is not such that the state can handle on its own.

We urgently solicit the support of Multinationals, International Donor Agencies, the Red Cross, Diplomatic Missions and people of goodwill to come to the aid of our state.

I appeal to Mr. President to consider special grants to the state from the Stabilization Funds, Ecological Funds and Natural Resources Fund.

My dear people of Bayelsa State, I know these are indeed trying times and you have my assurance that I will stand with you through every step of the recovery process.

The Bayelsa State Task Force on Flood Mitigation and Management in liaison with the State Emergency Management Agency has established IDP Camps, and providing relief materials for victims of the flood.

I have also directed that the distribution of these relief materials should be done in a non-partisan manner. We are all first and foremost Bayelsans.

I hereby direct all Public Servants except those on essential duties to be given time off from work for the next one week. Let me make a special appeal to vendors, particularly of fuel, food, water and pharmaceuticals not to exploit the situation. We must be our brothers’ keeper.” he said

Panic as corpses float in Bayelsa and Delta cemeteries

Residents of Aeroplane Road in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta have raised the alarm over floating corpses from submerged cemeteries in their environment.

This comes as flood ravages most parts of the country. The Federal government has said that over 603 persons have died, two million persons displaced and hundreds of hectares of farmlands have been destroyed, since the flooding incident began.

Residents of Yenagoa in Bayelsa state on Monday raised the alarm when they spotted the floating corpses. They called on the state government for immediate action to avoid a public health crisis.

A resident of the community, Mr Emmanuel Oden, lamented that the floating corpses had become a recurring development during floods, adding that relocation of the cemetery is long overdue.

Oden further alleged that corpses at the cemetery were often buried in shallow graves of about 3 feet, rather than the recommended six feet prescribed by law.

The morgue at Bomadi General Hospital and Olodiama had been submerged, also with floating corpses as a result.

Reacting to this development. the Bayelsa state Commissioner for Environment and chairman of Bayelsa Flood Committee, Iselema Gbaranbiri, confirmed that three floating corpses were recovered and reburied with the environment properly fumigated.

”The floating of corpses were actually reported. First, as commissioner for the environment, I got the report of a floating corpse and directed my head of health and sanitation to get the corpse reburied. Later two more corpses were recovered and reburied and the environment was properly fumigated.”

More disaster was recorded in parts of Delta State yesterday as many villages in riverine Bomadi, Patani and Burutu local government areas of the state were sacked by floods as their homes have been submerged by the flood.

Speaking on the unfortunate incident, the chairman of the Bomadi federated community, Seleyeibo Perekeme, said neither government nor political leaders from the area had responded to their call for help.

“The entire Bomadi Local Government area is submerged, with only the council secretariat still standing because of community efforts.

We’ve been able to dislodge the flood by blocking entry points with sand-filled sacks at the community waterfront through our earlier efforts.

Now, the flood level has risen and we’ve been making similar efforts but we’ve run out of resources as a community.

So, we’ve been calling on our political leaders to help since Bomadi is the last community standing and victims are fleeing in from neighbouring communities, such as Kpakiama, Oboro, Esanma, Tuomo, Tubegbe, Koloware, Ogboin-ama and many others in both Burutu and Patani council areas. Many victims are fleeing from Yenagoa to Bomadi.”

Missing man found dead in Bayelsa

A man, identified simply as Bravo, has been found dead in Bayelsa State five days after he reportedly went missing.

According to a military officer, Goodluck Sambo, the deceased was last seen on Sunday, August 7, 2022.

“This is to inform all my friends and family and all the personnel that my birthday will not hold again tomorrow. A friend, brother, colleague who missed on Sunday was found dead today.

His corpse is deposited in FMC mortuary yenagoa Bayelsa state. And I have to give him the last respect. May his soul rest in peace.” he wrote.

Man contests for post of President, Chelsea FC fan club in Benue

A Benue man, Gaza Gregory Tyover has sparked reactions on social media after a poster of him running for a position in his state Chelsea FC fan club.

He is running for the post of president, Chelsea FC fan club in Ikpayongo, Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue state.

His campaign poster was shared on Facebook by Daniel Uza as he asked people to vote for Tyover.

See post below..

Reacting, Henryflo said; Our mumu no too much? 70yrs old man

Unique wrote; Chai, it’s well

Anubi Nebo; MOST OF YOU DONT UNDERSTAND HOW FANATICAL WE CHELSEA FANS ARE WE ARE SO BONDED IN LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT PEOPLE CONTEST TO HEAD THE FAN BASE IN HIS LOCALITY

Thinktwicemybro; Nothing Musa nor go see for gate

Kayode Cole; Chelsea fans are very hungry looking people. Always looking mal-nourished. Most lagos touts are Chelsea fans. Most of them can’t speak good English..

Ebuka Abe; He better If u use that poster for Jesus work

Taiwo Ololade; Yes he can, like play like play he will become a Chelsea board member and he will start making a decision before we count one Chelsea will be relegated.

Tony Ita Bassey; Madness of the highest order. jobless youths everywhere may God have mercy on Nigeria.

Police officer stabs colleague to death in Bayelsa

A police officer, Sgt. Governor Akpoboloukeme, on Thursday, stabbed his colleague to death in Bayelsa.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Ben Okolo, who confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Friday by the spokesman of the state police command, Asinmi Butswat, said the off-duty officer stabbed his colleague, Sgt. Sapele Eyeridideke, to death over a minor misunderstanding at Edepie in Yenagoa.

The suspect immediately fled the scene and attempted to flee to a neighbouring state when he was arrested along the East/West Road.

The police commissioner said he had ordered the detention of the suspect and a detailed investigation into the incident.

An eyewitness told journalists the two policemen, who are cousins, attended a marriage ceremony at a popular hotel in Yenagoa where the deceased cracked a joke as they sat on a table.

“The suspect didn’t feel happy about the joke and reacted in a violent manner.

“The two men almost exchanged blows but friends stepped in and settled the duo.

“They left the venue with the belief that they were going to their separate homes.

“Rather than go home, Akpobolokeme trailed Eyeridideke to a secluded place and stabbed him with a dagger on the left part of his rib cage killing him instantly.

“The corpse has been deposited at a mortuary,” the eyewitness said.

Police arrests two suspected armed robbers, recovers pistols in Bayelsa

Police operatives in Bayelsa have arrested two suspected armed robbers in the state.

The spokesman of the state police command, Asinmin Butswait, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, listed the suspects as Abraham Kalizibe and Abadi Prosper.

He said Prosper is the gang’s armourer in whose custody two locally-made pistols and five cartridges were recovered by the police.

The spokesman said the duo were arrested following a tip-off by members of the public.

Butswait said: “Kalizibe is a member of a notorious armed robbery gang terrorising Yenagoa and its environs.

“During interrogation the suspect confessed to series of armed robbery operations and later led police detectives to the gang’s armourer where two locally-made pistols and five cartridges were recovered.

“The suspects are currently undergoing interrogation and would soon be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigation.”