Lifestyle

Two suspected ‘thieves’ stripped and paraded in Rivers community

No Comments

Two suspected thieves have been stripped and paraded in Agbonchia community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to reports, the suspects who drove in a red Toyota Camry were intercepted by youths of Agbonchia led by Comr. Abel Oluka (Kofi) on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the suspects attempted to rob a POS shop along Agbonchia road but the operator raised the alarm, attracting the attention of members of the community.

The suspects were paraded around the community and later handed over to the police for further investigations.

Lifestyle

Another suspected cultist shot dead in Rivers

No Comments

Another person has been killed in a renewed cult clash between rival cult gangs in Awkuzu/Lumbumber Street, Mile 1, Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

It was gathered that the killing followed the battle for supremacy and territorial control by suspected factions of the D12 and BS of Deygbam cult groups.

The latest killing which occurred on Sunday night, April 23, comes a few days after a similar clash led to the death of one Asari, along Ekwe/Ikwerre road, Mile 3, Diobu.

It was gathered that residents scampered for safety due to the ear-splitting sound of guns, and many remained indoors in order not to be hit by a stray bullet.

Spokesperson for the State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident on Monday April 24, said the killing, which was cult-related, was one too many.

“The Command is aware. I think it is still related to the battle of supremacy by these cult groups. We have commenced investigation into the incident to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and meant to face the law.” the PPRO added.

Politics

PDP wins Rivers supplementary election in two federal constituencies

No Comments

Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were on Sunday declared winners of Saturday’s election rerun in the Khana/Gokhana and Port Harcourt City council area.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), through its Returning Officer for Khana/Gokhana Constituency, Kingsely Owete, declared the result at Bori, Rivers.

Mr Owete said Dunameme Dekor, the PDP candidate in Khana/Gokana federal constituency, who won the constituency’s election rerun, satisfied the requirements of the law.

He said Mr Dekor won with 18,641 votes ahead of his closest rival, Friday Nkeeh, of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who scored 10,165 votes.

Mr Dekor thanked the people of the Khana/Ghokana constituency for electing him, adding that he would attract development to his constituency.

INEC also declared Blessing Amadi as the PDP winner of the election in the Port Harcourt City local council area federal constituency 2 (PHALGHA 2).

Ms Amadi thanked the people of PHALGHA 2 for their support and pledged her commitment to the constituency’s development.

She also commended INEC for ensuring that the BVAS machines functioned properly.

Collins Owhonda, the All Progressives Congress candidate in Rivers, withdrew from the race 24 hours before the election and announced his defection to the PDP.

Lifestyle

Rivers police arrest criminals who kidnaps and gang rape ladies seeking love on Tinder

No Comments

The police in Rivers state have apprehended members of a criminal gang who specialize in luring ladies they meet on social media, kidnap, rape them and then force their relatives to pay a ransom before releasing them.

In a statement released, the spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the two members of the gang, Ikechi Promise and Darlington Obi, were arrested separately by the police intelligence unit in Igwurita and Choba, Ikwerre and Obio/Akpor local government areas of the state, respectively.

According to her, the suspects lured unsuspecting girls seeking relationships through chats on a popular social media platform, Tinder.

She said luck ran out on them when the same treatment was meted out to a 28-year-old lady, who they abducted and took to Chokocho, Port Harcourt where they raped her, stole her two iPhones and a Samsung mobile telephone, and collected a ransom of N600,000 from her relatives before releasing her.

”Operatives of the Intelligence Unit, on January 6, 2023, around 8.30pm, arrested one Ikechi Promise, 30, and one Darlington Obi, 35.

Their arrest is linked to their recent operation on December 20, 2022, around 7.45pm, when a 28-year-old lady was lured down to Igwurita Market Junction, kidnapped, and taken to Chokocho Pipeline, where the same kidnapping syndicate raped and collected her two iPhones and a Samsung phone.

The kidnappers later collected a ransom of N600,000 from her relatives before she was released on December 21, 2022.

The suspects confessed that their modus operandi was to lure girls out through chats on Tinder for relationships.Based on relentless follow-ups, the gang leader of the kidnapping syndicate, Promise Nwaobiri, 32, was tracked and arrested at the Choba area, near Port Harcourt, on January 9, 2023, around 1pm.

The search for the fleeing suspects is in top gear.” Iringe-Koko stated that the state police command has received numerous reports of women being lured and kidnapped through social media platforms.

She appealed to ladies in the state to be wary of relationships on social media that would require them to travel to meet people they had not physically seen or met before.

Politics

Rivers Assembly passes motion to derecognise Omehia as former Governor

No Comments

A motion to derecognise Celestine Omehia, as a former Governor of Rivers State has been passed by Rivers State House of Assembly.

Leader of the House, Martin Amaewmule moved the motion to reverse an earlier resolution of the 8th Assembly on June 30, 2015 which compelled the Executive Arm, headed by Governor Nyesom Wike to recognise Omehia as a former Governor and according him all entitlements, privileges and benefits.

He noted that recognition of Omehia in that capacity will be a bridge of the Supreme Court judgement which removed Celestine Omehia as a Governor in 2007 for not being the duly elected candidate in that year’s election.

Asides submitting a copy of the Nigerian Weekly Law Report that contains the landmark judgement which removed Omehia from office and declared Rotimi Amaechi as the duly elected candidate of the PDP at the time and the right person to occupy the office of the Governor, the lawmaker also moved a motion to reverse the earlier resolution because the 9th Assembly has a better knowledge and particulars on the said Supreme Court Judgement.

After lawmakers at the house of assembly debated on the motion, they all voted to reverse the earlier resolution because the 9th Assembly has a better knowledge and particulars on the said Supreme Court Judgement.

Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani noted that while the house was right in taking the decision, no law is absolute.

Lifestyle

Gunmen kidnap five passengers in Rivers

No Comments

Five passengers travelling in a commercial bus have been kidnapped by gunmen at Emuoha-Kalabari Road in Rivers State.

The gunmen shot sporadically after ambushing the vehicle at a bad spot in the area at about 8pm on Saturday September 17.

They reportedly took the driver and seven passengers into a nearby bush. Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-koko who revealed that the command is yet to get a clear picture of the incident, told newsmen that the State Commissioner of Police had already called a meeting of stakeholders in the area to get to the root of the matter.

She said;

“The CP has called stakeholders, including the local government chairmen and the anti-cultism. He has deployed anti-kidnapping and other tactical unit to comb the area”.

Lifestyle

Suspected pirates attack boat, kill one in Rivers

No Comments

Suspected pirates have attacked a passenger boat and killed one of the occupants along the Billie waterways in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.

A native of the community simply identified as Bebe told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the boat took off from Bille and heading to Port Harcourt when it was attacked.

He said the suspected pirates opened fire on the boat on Friday evening, saying the corpse of the dead victim has been recovered, while one passenger was rescued.Bebe said,

“The passengers boat was going to Port Harcourt from Billie before they were attacked by gunmen.

“We have entered the water and succeeded in rescuing one person. We have also recovered one corpse which we have taken back to the community.”

He called on Rivers State Government and security agencies to beef up security along the waterways to forestall frequent attacks and provide security for sea travellers.

When contacted, spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on telephone on Saturday.

Iringe-Koko said one of the victims who sustained gunshot injury is receiving treatment in as undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt.She said, “Yes, the command is aware of the incident. It was pirates..Only one person was killed.

“We have commenced investigation to ascertain what happened and ensure that those behind the dastardly act would be apprehended and made them to face the law.”

Politics

Rivers state is running Jesus economy – Wike

No Comments

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said that his administration will not relent in its support for the Church to promote and expand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This is also he said the state is running a ‘Jesus economy’ which is the reason it is one of the wealthiest in the South East.

The governor stated this at the special fundraising service for the purchase of landed property by the Church of Christ in Nations, Port Harcourt on Sunday.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said Wike, who donated Thirty Million Naira (N30M) to support the Church of Christ in Nations, assured that whenever his administration is called upon to contribute to the propagation and evangelism of the gospel, it will not relent to support the Church.

He said; “Even in governance, we won’t have been able to achieve anything without God. Look at the economy of the country today, but everyday, we are either commissioning or flagging off projects. People ask how do you do this?

His Excellency will always say, this State is a Christian State, and this State is running a Jesus economy. In the Jesus economy, you give a little to the work of God and God multiples that little you have given in a million fold. It is with that we are able to execute our projects.”

Wike added that his support for the Church is an altruistic service, rendered in appreciation of God’s benevolence towards his administration and the good people of Rivers State.

Politics

Wike makes U-turn, joins #EndSARS protests

No Comments

After over three hours of wait by #EndSARS protesters who converged at the Government House, Port Harcourt, for Governor Nyesom Wike to address them, the latter later joined the protesters and called for the total reform of the Nigeria Police Force.

The governor, who had banned #EndSARS protests in the state last night, made a U-turn on Tuesday.

Wike while addressing the protesters said though he was not in support of the Tuesday protest, he noted that no governor in the country had protested against the security outfit as he has done.

He said, “I never supported us to be here. I took an oath to protect the lives and property of people of the state. The blood of Rivers of people matters to me.

“Rivers State has suffered in the hands of SARS. When we raised the alarm of SARS activities, they did not give attention but it has now happened in other places.

“No governor in this country can say they have challenged SARS the way we have done. When there was so much kidnapping in this state, I raised an alarm to the federal government.

“I am the only governor that has come out to start end SARS protest. No other state. We have lost so many people in this state to SARS. No state supported us. SARS has killed our people a lot,” he stated.

Close Menu
Exit mobile version

Privacy Policy