Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Tag: A’Ibom

  • LG Polls: A’Ibom to shut down State borders

    LG Polls: A’Ibom to shut down State borders

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    Akwa Ibom state government has said it would shut its borders on Saturday as part of measures to ensure a hitch free Local Government elections in the state.

    A statement from the Secretary to the State Government, Dr  Emmanuel Ekuwem yesterday in Uyo explained that this would affect all Inter-state border entry points, leading into the state and would be between 7am and 2pm.

    The statement further directed that human and vehicular movements would also be restricted from 7am to 2pm while eligible voters are tenjoined to stay within the premises  of their polling units during the period of the elections. 

    “Those on essential duties, viz: medical personnel, electoral officials and election  observers, accredited pressmen be exempted from the  movement restrictions.” It said.

    Meanwhile, in order to enable active participation of  civil servants in the election,  work would  close at 2pm on Friday while the subsisting state-wide daily curfew of 8pm to 7am  would remain in force till further notice.

    “All citizens and residents are advised to continue to be law-abiding while voters, while queuing to exercise their franchise,  should comply with the AKSG/NCDC/WHO approved COVID-19 Guidelines and Protocols. 

    “All Security Agencies have been briefed  to strictly enforce  this restriction of movement directive.” It said. 

    In the meantime, chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission, Mr. Aniediabasi Ikoiwak has announced that the commission would deploy new electronic gadgets for more effective operations.

    Ikoawak said the new device would enable the commission’s officials monitor the time of arrival of materials at respective polling units in the state.  

    He further declared that candidates of the National Rescue Movement, NRM, were disqualified because the party attempted to field candidates without supplying adequate details as required by the electoral law. 

    “The Chairman of the National Rescue Movement came to my office after the deadline for submission of forms of all candidates to tell me to input the name of candidates of Esit -Eket and Ukanafun, and I told him that such act is against the electoral law. 

    “AKISIEC did not disqualify anybody. Let me also say that for you to be a candidate you must qualify to be a candidate and follow  given guidelines for electoral process.

    “The details of the running mates of the two candidates were not supplied and as such they failed to meet the requirements.” The chairman explained.

  • 3,000 refugees seek govt, donor agencies’ intervention in A’Ibom

    3,000 refugees seek govt, donor agencies’ intervention in A’Ibom

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    Conditions for more  than 3,000 refugees displaced by rival cult clashes in Inen community , Oruk Anam local council of Akwa Ibom have worsened following a lack of intervention from the state government and donor agencies.

    The refugees most of whom are resident at the Internal Displaced person camp at Ikot Ebritam and other locations in the local government headquarters in the State it was gathered are passing through untold hardship with basic amenities lacking in their different abode.

    It was gathered that they have continued to feed themselves with little or no support from government or donor agencies with many of them taking the risk of venturing into nearby farmlands in search of food.

    One of the refugees identified as Aniema Etuk reportedly left the IDP camp on Tuesday for the deserted village to bring food items from her farm to feed her children but was intercepted by the cultists who inflicted matchete cuts on her.

    Narrating her experience , the victim now in an undisclosed hospital in Uyo said she was caught by cultists at Inen Junction and beaten up severally leaving her half dead before she left in the pool of her blood. 

    ” On Monday my children were very hungry and were crying for food. I asked myself what I have done to deserve this kind of condition? Then moved to the village at about 10am to bring food items from my farm for my children. 

    “As I  arrived Inen Junction close to my house, the cultists numbering 20 shouted me to stop. They came in group and slapped me one by one. Two of them brought out machete and cut my back , leg, hands and all parts of my body.

    ‘ I don’t know how my children are doing to survive in the church premises now. Here I need money for food and drugs and to pay for my medical bill here .” Etuk narrated.

    The Public Relations Officer of Inen Stakeholders Forum Mr Anyanime Umoren said the only form of assistance  recieved so far was from indigenes of the community in diaspora who contributed money to buy food items at the IDP camp.

    He added that the chairman of the Forum.Barr Akpan Brown with other people bought some bags of garri and other foodstuffs to share for displaced persons in the camp but the items were grossly inadequate.

    ” We discovered that the food items could not go round for about 3,000 refugees in the camp including women and children . We decided to stop sharing to avoid uproar in the camp.” 
    ” Right now we have levied our people so that we can raise money and buy more foodstuffs for the people. We  are pleading with donor agencies and government to save this displaced persons from hunger and starvation while government is tackling the wave of cultism occasioned by  killings and all forms of hostilities in the area.” 
    ” The widow now in the hospital needs more than three million Naira for treatment and we don’t know how the money would be raised to save her lives. The children she left  are now stranded in the camp . It is terrible situation. We need help.” He said.
    Umoren urged the state government and the wife of the governor  Mrs Martha Udom Emmanuel to visit the vulnerable women at the camp and extend helping hands to the needy. 

    In a telephone interview, State Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Mcdon said the command is tackling cultism in the area as there is an on going special operations to bring pepetrators of the nefarious acts to book.

    “There is a special operations in the area to fish out the cultists terrorizing the community.” Macdon said.

  • #EndSARS: A’Ibom condemns hijack of protests by hoodlums, extends curfew

    #EndSARS: A’Ibom condemns hijack of protests by hoodlums, extends curfew

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    Akwa Ibom state government has expressed concern over the hijack of the EndSARS protests by hoodlums to loot public and private properties in Uyo and other parts of the state.

    It has also extended the curfew earlier imposed on the state to Saturday due to need arrest “developing situations”

    In a statement signed by the Secretary to the  Government, SSG, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem in Uyo yesterday, the state government appealed to the protesters to suspend their action due to infiltration by “negative elements”.

    It also called on indigenes and  residents to take advantage of the Judicial Panel of Investigation in response to the demands of the protesters.

    “We have witnessed scenarios where the protests were clearly hijacked by hoodlums who were attacking public and private property and looting business premises, which confirm the earlier  intelligence available to us on the planned hijack of the peaceful demonstrations. 

    “To this end, we appeal to all genuine protesting groups to please suspend their protest due to the obvious hijack by negative minded elements. 

    “As the curfew imposed by the Governor subsists, We ask all Akwa Ibom people to be on red alert and report to the police and other security agencies, any suspicious movements and persons. Akwa Ibom is all we have as God’s piece of real estate for us and we must take practical steps to protect our collective heritage.” The statement said.

    Meanwhile the state government has extended a 15 hour curfew earlier imposed on the state on Friday night  to Saturday morning due to “developing situations being monitored by the state government and security agencies and the inevitable need to protect citizens and property.

    “Expectedly, there will be a total cessation of movement, except for those on essential duties, who must show a proper identification. All law abiding citizens are advised to remain at home, as security agencies have been briefed to strictly enforce this order.” The statement signed by information commissioner Comrade In Ememobong said.

  • Indigenes flay A’Ibom govt. over complacency in coconut plantation

    Indigenes flay A’Ibom govt. over complacency in coconut plantation

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    Indegenes of Akwa Ibom have decried the state government lack of thoroughness in the establishment of the 11,000 hectare coconut plantation meant to service the state government coconut refinery at Mkpat Enin local council.

    They have also lamented the inability of the state government to make due it’s earlier promise of commencing the production of Coconut oil in its Coconut refinery.

    They argued that the state government was not thorough in the cultivation of the coconut plants since they are yet to start feeding the completed refinery with coconut, four years after they were planted.

    This is contrary to promises by Governor Udom Emmanuel during the groundbreaking of the stte coconut refinery in 2017 that the 11,000 hectare plantation, lying across three local councils of Mkpat Enin, Eastern Obollo and Ikot Abasi would be ready to feed the refinery in less than three years.

    Observers are of the opinion that this may have been caused by inadequate soil analysis by the relevant government agencies and promoters of the project or there was no adequate supervision of the plantation by officials.

    Another group of opinion suggested that the government may have been decieved into believing that the coconuts would be ready for harvesting within a short time inorder for the promoters to get the state government to back their proposal.

    Government had said that two million coconut stands were planted initially, a figure that has also come under scrutiny, and even at that sources say the plants could not grow as anticipated.

    It was gathered that this forced the management of the plantation to plant another set after it was discovered that the soil was not fertile enough and the specie planted was not of the desired variety.

    It was also gathered that the state government was dissapointed  with the management of the plantation by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Direct Investment.

    The current healthy state of the plantation it was gathered is as a result of the management of the plantation been directly handled and supervised  by the state Ministry of Agriculture under the supervision of Dr Glory Edet.

    The plants are however not expected to start producing coconut before 2023, further delaying the anticipated commencent of production of coconut oil by the refinery.

    But the state government did not attribute the delay in the production of coconut oil by the refinery on the immaturity of the coconut plants,  but rather  attributed the delay on the outbreak of COVID-19 

    Governor Udom Emmanuel said this when he formally received the official gazette for the approval for 50,000 hectares Liberty Oil and Gas Free Zone in the state by a delegation from the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), led by its Managing Director, Mr. Umana Okon Umana in Uyo last week..

    Emmanuel said the pandemic and it’s associated movement restrictions stalled the movement of expatriates and equipment acquired for the project and assured Akwa Ibom people of its commencement once the dreaded pandemic is abated.

    In the meantime, it was gathered that inorder to augument possible shortfall from the state owned plantation whenever the refinery would be ready to commence production,  government has began the distribution seedlings to schools and organisations in the state.

    Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Glory Edet, said the government was ready to support different organisations as part of efforts to increase the production level of coconut in the state.

    “The ministry of agriculture is poised to encourage individuals, organisations, institutions and corporate bodies to contribute to the collaborative effort of massive production of coconuts and its value chains towards production lines of the coconut oil factory in the state.” Edet said. 

    The state flagged off its coconut oil refinery in 2017. The factory, believed to be the only one in the country, is located at Mkpat Enin local government of the state, and is said to have a projected capacity of processing about one million coconuts a day, but would commence with a capacity of 300,000 coconuts daily.

    Besides its wide applications in food processing and pharmaceuticals, coconut oil is used as raw material for the production of soap and as a medium in the paint and varnish industries.

     It is also used in the manufacture of detergents, surfactants, emulsifiers and pesticides and sells higher than crude oil when measured in barrels, providing immense economic opportunities for investors, experts say.

  • A’Ibom disclaims advertorial by fraudsters for civil service jobs

    A’Ibom disclaims advertorial by fraudsters for civil service jobs

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    Akwa Ibom State Government has issued a disclaimer on an advertorial of job vacancies in it’s civil service that has gone viral on the social media.

    A release signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Civil Service Commission, Mrs Rose Bassey, on behalf of the Chairman stated that the state government has not advertised for any job vacancies.

    The release which was made available to newsmen in Uyo yesterday added that the advertorial making the rounds is not from the Commission and should be discountenanced.

    “The advertorial which has no date of issuance nor authorized signature cannot be an official statement from the Civil Service Commission or State Government.

    “Members of the public are therefore advised to ignore the job advertorial so as not to fall into the hands of fraudsters.” It said.

    The fraudsters had in the unsigned advertorial with Bassey’s name solicited for applications for various positions in the health, information, administrative, ICT and Geological Services of the civil service.

  • PDP holds elective congresses in 80 wards in A’Ibom

    PDP holds elective congresses in 80 wards in A’Ibom

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  has conducted special elective congresses to constitute new executive committees and fill vacant positions in 80 wards across 25 local government chapters in Akwa Ibom.

    This followed the creation of 39 additional wards by the State Independent Electoral Commission,(AKISIEC) in addition to the 329 already existing across the state last August.

    The congresses which held weekend at the affected ward centers was generally peaceful with stakeholders lauding the party’s leadership at the state for accommodating the interests of members.

    The state chairman of the party, Obong Udo Ekpenyong, while addressing stakeholders and members before the distribution of materials for the conduct of the congress, maintained that the Congress would be conducted in strict adherence to the PDP constitution.

    Ekpenyong explained that while the new wards needed properly constituted executive committees, it was important to get replacement for vacant positions left behind by  ward officers who either resigned to vie for positions in the October 31 local government election, or have moved to the new wards.

    The chairman tasked party officers involved in the exercise to uphold the democratic ideals of fairness, transparency, equity and peace which the PDP in state is known for.

    Stakeholders and members who took part in the congresses  commended Ekpenyong-led  leadership of the PDP for taking proactive measures to ensure that the  congress was peaceful and rancour-free across the 80 wards. 

    “What is happening today is very commendable. It shows that the current leadership has placed the  interest of the Party as utmost priority. As a person, I must confess that I am very impressed with the leadership of Hon. Udo Ekpenyong.” Mr Effiong Okon, a PDP member in Nung Atai Ube Ward 2, Okobo local council said. 

    In Uyo senatorial district, the congresses held in Uyo, Uruan, Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Ubium, Etinan, Ibiono Ibom and Itu chapters while it was conducted in wards across Ikot Ekpene, Easien Udim, Obot Akara, Ini, Ikono, Abak, Etim Ekpo, Oruk Anam and Ukanafun chapters in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.

    In Eket Senatorial District, congresses held in wards across Eket, Esit Eket, Onna, Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin, Oron, Okobo and Mbo chapters even as the party is set to fill candidates in the October 31 LGA elections for all 31 local government areas and 368 wards.

  • A’Ibom Police kill six armed robbers in shoot out

    A’Ibom Police kill six armed robbers in shoot out

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    The Police in Akwa Ibom has killed a six man armed robbery gang that specialized in car snatching and selling across Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

    State  Commmissioner of Police, CP, Mr Amiengheme Andrew who disclosed this while parading the dead robbers in Uyo yesterday said they met their death during a shoot out with the Police along the Calabar-Itu highway.

    Andrew who resumed duties a forth night ago as the state CP explained that the dead robbers were on their way to Abia state to sell the car they had earlier snatched from a Calabar based Medical Doctor when they met a patrol team of the state command of the Police.

    The deceased were said to have already contacted  a buyer for the stolen vehicle.

    “Today, at about 5.30am, acting on a credible intelligence that a six man armed robbery gang whose specialty is car snatching in Akwa Ibom and Cross River were operating along Calabar-Itu expressway.

    “On receipt of the intel, SARS operatives proceeded to the scene, on sighting the Police Hilux the hoodlums opened fire on the operatives. A gun battle ensued and the six armed robbers sustained gun wounds.

    “They were taken to the Police hospital in Uyo for treatment but they were confirmed dead by the Doctor. Exhibits recovered were three locally made pistols, ten life cartridges, four expended cartridges, one pump action gun, one unregistered motorcycle, military camouflage cap and a Toyota Camry snatched from the victim, Dr Arinze Obinna, a physiotherapist at the General Hospital, Calabar.”

    The CP warned hoodlums engaged in cultism, armed robbery, rape and other vices to desist forthwith or leave the state as the command “under my watch has no room to accommodate any form of crime and criminality.”

    The owner of the stolen car during an interaction with newsmen said the car was stolen at gun point from him while he was returning home with his wife and three daughters by the hoodlums.

    Also arrested by the Police were a serial rapist and blackmailer, a murder suspect alleged to have murdered his 11 year old step son, five cultists and six armed robbery suspects.

  • FOI Act: A’Ibom NUJ threatens legal action against recasetrant MDAs

    FOI Act: A’Ibom NUJ threatens legal action against recasetrant MDAs

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ has threatened legal action against Ministries, Departments and Organizations frustrating the use of the Freedom of Information, FOI, Act. in the state.

    They have also commended some members of the House of Representatives for working against the obnoxious Federal Water Resources Bill.

    This was part of the communique reached at the end of its October Congress in Uyo yesterday endorsed by the state chairman, Comrade Amos Etuk and chairman of the Communique Drafting Committee, Comrade Idongesit Ashameri.

    According to the communique, “congress notes the consistent refusal of MDAs in Akwa Ibom State to provide certain information requested by journalists, thereby flouting the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, and called on the MDAs to do the needful to avoid a resort to legal action to get the required information.

    “Congress commended members of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State for joining forces with some of their colleagues to resist  the position held by a lawmaker from Katsina State that the obnoxious National Water Resources Bill had been passed by the House.

    “The Bill should not be reintroduced as a fresh Bill and urged them to sustain the resistance among the lawmakers opposed to the Bill and kill it at the commencement stage since the process for ts enactment has started again.

    It reaffirmed the endorsement of Comrade Helen Udofa, a former Treasurer of the State Council, by the NUJ, Zone F, at its meeting in Uyo, for the position of National Secretary of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, at the forthcoming Triennial Delegates’ Conference of the association in Minna, Niger State. 

    The Congress also urged the State Government to step up  remedial work in erosion- threatened  areas within and outside the capital city and called on relevant agencies of government to regulate dredging activities in the state as many parts of the state is threatened by sand excavation. 

  • lbom power releases 452 transformers to 268 villages in A’Ibom

    lbom power releases 452 transformers to 268 villages in A’Ibom

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    The management of  Ibom Power Company has released 452 transformers for electrification of 268 rural communities in Akwa Ibom State.

    This was to support Governor Emmanuel’s Power For All initiative aimed at connecting the remaining communities in the state to the national grid.

    Managing Director of Ibom Power, Engr Meyen Etukudoh who disclosed this to newsmen in Uyo on Thursday.

    Etukudoh pointed out that 216 of the transformers were released by Ministry of Rural Development, 50 from Inter ministerial  Direct Labour while 186 were released from the state Power Sector. 

    ” Governor Udom Emmanuel gave a matching order to all the gazetted villages to hook up to electricity through Ministry of Rural Development. 12 per cent representing 265 out of 2,274 villages in Akwa Ibom are not connected to National Grid. 

    “So, the governor gave them a marching order two months ago and tell the Ministry of Rural Development connect them immediately.” He explained.

    He regretted that the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company ( PHEDC) has never brought any Transformer to Akwa Ibom since 2013 .

    Etukudoh said such attitude of PHEDC was the reason government spent much on electricity as the Distribution Company has not lived up to their statutory responsibilities. 

    He advised the benefitting communities to guard the equipment jealously against vandals in their various communities in order to achieve the “power for all ” as planned by the state government.

  • Gunmen invades church, shoot Elder in A’Ibom

    Gunmen invades church, shoot Elder in A’Ibom

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    There was panic in Inen Ikot Esse village , Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom last Sunday as gunmen suspected to be cultists invaded one of the Pentecostal churches  in the area shooting a church official while worshippers scampered for safety. 

    It was gathered that the gunmen numbering 10 stormed the church premises at exactly 7:05 am and  went straight to the  vestry where church officers were holding a prayer preparatory to the  commencement of service . 

    An eyewitness Mr Sunday Ibanga said the official who is an Elder in the church was accosted and shot severally on the head leaving him in a pool of blood, causing other members to  lie low as the assailants engaged in a shooting spree in the church premises.

    Narrating the incident, Ibanga said the incident conceded with the coming of a new pastor posted  to the church  assumed duty the same Sunday who he reached  out to the church headquarters for vehicle to evacuate the victim  to hospital for treatment . 

    Speaking at the hospital yesterday, wife of the victim simply identified as Mrs Iniobong said the victim left for church that early morning to attend to his duties leaving her and the children at home  to join him for the Sunday service later.

    He said while preparing to join the victim in the church she heard a loud screaming outside their compound from people who came to inform that the husband has been shot in the church vestry during prayers. 

    ” When I heard that my husband has been shot , I  summed up courage and rushed to the church just to carry the corpse for burial . But I met policemen who helped me to carry my husband to hospital for first aid before the main treatment in this hospital.

    ” Since yesterday my husband is surviving through oxygen here in the emergency ward. We need money to pay for various tests before surgery to remove the bullets in his head.” She narrated.

    The incident she pointed out is coming on the face of ongoing negotiations  between Debam and Iceland rival cult  confraternities in the area to end protracted  hostilities that has disrupted normal activities in the community. 

    ” One volunteer told me that he had visited the camp of the two cult groups and they all denied their roles in the incident. So, I don’t know where the gunmen came from to shot my husband.” She said. 

    Confirming the incident, State Police Public Relations Officer,  Odiko Mcdon said the perpetrators of the crime would soon be arrested to face the wrath of the law. 

    ” I can confirm the incident in Inen Ikot Esse, Oruk Anam local government area. It is unfortunate that such incident happened in the church premises. When it happened , it was the police that rushed the victim to hospital for treatment. 

    ” The Commissioner of Police  Andrew Amiengheme condemns the dastardly act and he has resolved to stem the tide of cultism in whatever form. 

    “However, deep investigation is ongoing to ensure that the perpetrators of such dastardly act face the wrath of the law. I assure you that they would be brought to book in no distant time.” Macdon said.