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Tag: Rivers State

  • Julius Berger’s Roll-Back–Malaria CSR Campaign Arrives Rivers, Akwa Ibom States

    Julius Berger’s Roll-Back–Malaria CSR Campaign Arrives Rivers, Akwa Ibom States

    • Nigeria’s leading engineering construction company rolls out more treated mosquito nets to Rivers and Akwa Ibom schools as excited pupils express appreciation to Julius Berger

    Last week, there was a chorus of gratitude amongst administrators, teachers, community leaders and pupils of various schools in both Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, to which Julius Berger Nigeria Plc distributed treated mosquito nets along with a pamphlet titled ‘Guide to Malaria Prevention’. This activity is in furtherance of the company’s determined corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy and fight against the scourge of malaria in Nigeria in alignment with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations.

    Since the marking of 2021 World Malaria Day, Julius Berger has been in the forefront of the war against the disease by distributing mosquito nets among school pupils and pregnant women and children considered vulnerable to malaria ailment across the country.

    At St. Paul’s State primary School I, Diobu, Port Harcourt Rivers State, the Community Liaison Officer of Julius Berger, Hon. Chijioke Chike, told the pupils that the provision of the treated mosquito nets to them was a complementary extension of the good quality infrastructural works Julius Berger has done and continues to do in Port Harcourt communities. Julius Berger’s works as well as the company’s CSR initiatives, he said, are all meaningfully targeted towards a sustainable environment and the general good health for the communities.

    He said, “…if you look across your school premises, you can see the modern flyover built by Julius Berger. It is the Rebisi Flyover. After the construction of the flyover, we are distributing these treated mosquito nets for you to protect your good health to enable you live well and enjoy the great flyover.”
    The clearly elated Head teacher of the school, Mrs Ikpakor, Jemimah who responded after each pupil had been given the treated mosquito nets said, “…on behalf of St. Paul’s State School I, I appreciate your practically humane company.

    We know and declare that Julius Berger is a solution provider for our people’s critical infrastructural and social needs. For example, in addition to these treated nets provided by the company to help us stave off mosquitoes and keep malaria out of our homes and families, we also can say that with the construction of the Rebisi Flyover, grinding and frustrating traffic hold ups are over in our neighbourhood. We pray to the Almighty God for more blessings for Julius Berger.”

    At the St. Paul’s State School II also in Diobu, Port Harcourt, the accolades were same for Julius Berger with the Head mistress, Mrs Juliet Nwachukwu responding thus: “We, the staff and pupils of St. Pauls State School II express our heartfelt gratitude for this donation of treated mosquito nets. We are asking God that today that you have come here to show us this loving kindness, God’s divine favour will continue to be with Julius Berger.”
    The next donation stop by the Julius Berger Roll-Back-Malaria CSR Campaign was the State Primary School I, Amadiama, Rivers State. There, the CLO reminded the pupils that Julius Berger also constructed and built the Flyover in the neighbourhood. He thanked the community through the pupils for their cooperation with Julius Berger while the project lasted. He added that the mosquito nets donation by the company are a further demonstration of the development partnership the company has with the community and its most worthy and lasting legacy, its children. The Head teacher, Mrs Eunice Williams was full of praises for Julius Berger praying for continuous wellbeing of the company.
    At the fourth school, State Primary School II also in Amadiama, Rivers State, pupils sang and danced in appreciation of Julius Berger even as the Head Pupil, Miss Dominion Elemo said, “It is my pleasure to extend a cheerful welcome to our guests, the Number 1 construction company in Nigeria, Julius Berger. Your coming here today has given us hope and courage for a great and brighter future. We also thank you for your architectural designs in the development of Rivers state.” The headmistress of the School, Mrs Nwankpa James, prayed for the continued “growth and success of Julius Berger.”
    The Julius Berger CSR Team later arrived Akwa Ibom State at the Lutheran primary School, Afaha Etuk, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state on Friday. The leader of the Julius Berger team and management staff, Mrs Ndifreke Ukochio, educated the pupils on the dangers mosquito bites pose to humanity especially children urging them that, “we need to kick out malaria from our lives.” Continuing, she said, “malaria is a deadly disease and we are here to offer you these treated mosquito nets because we do not want you to be infected.” Ndifreke Ukochio, fondly called Ndi by her team members, went on to demonstrate the use of the nets before sharing the nets among the pupils. The Acting Head of the Lutheran School, Afaha Etuk, Mrs Peace Etime expressed her gratitude for the donation of the nets and prayed for continued success for the company.
    Julius Berger’s Roll-Back-Malaria CSR Team later proceeded to Government primary School, Ikot Isong in Etinam LGA where Mrs Ukochio repeated the earlier message to pupils who received the treated nets before the distribution of the nets. The school’s Acting Head, Mrs Imaobong Jackson also expressed her thanks to Julius Berger even as she declared “…this school, these pupils and their parents will never forget Julius Berger. They will always remember your kindness. Their parents will always remember you with gratitude, too.”
    The Head, Media Relations Office of the Julius Berger Nigeria Plc Group, Prince Moses Duku, speaking in Abuja, said “…the sustainable good health, safe environment, productive economy, as well as the real development and progressive growth of the Nigerian people remain prime considerations upon which Julius Berger’s CSR policy and operations firmly, responsibly anchor. We remain committed partners for the Nigerian development project”

  • Wike, Amaechi clash over Rivers insecurity

    Wike, Amaechi clash over Rivers insecurity

    Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike and Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi at the weekend traded words over the latter’s attribution of insecurity in Rivers to high level of unemployment.

    Amaechi, who spoke on Sunday while receiving defectors to the All Progressives Congress (APC), said Wike destroyed all the programmes and projects of job creation he instituted in the state as Governor.

    The immediate past commissioners for Urban Development and Rural Planning, Dr. Reason Onya, and Agriculture, Charles Nwaorgu and their supporters left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC.

    The Minister said as Governor, his administration established many agricultural programmes that created job opportunities for the youths.

    He said: “Rivers State is in danger, completely. A state where properties are collected and somebody is busy building everywhere and nobody is talking.

    “When I was Governor, God knows, I did my best. I did not build only roads, I built schools. I did not build only roads, I built electricity. I built farms. I created employment. Rivers State was not among the highest unemployed community in Nigeria.

    “I felt that you employed me. I was not your master; I was your servant.
    I was not a contractor. I paid contractors so that they can pay their workers and the money will circulate.

    “The reason why crime is high in Rivers State is because of unemployment. That the reason why we had the Songhai Farm. Today, the Songhai Farm is gone. That is why we had the Banana Farm that they stopped in Khana.

    “That is why we had fish farms and that is why we were building a farm in Etche. We were doing all those things to create employment for the youths. That is why we hired 13,200 teachers and that is why we sent our children overseas to study.”

    But Wike, in a swift reaction, said it was disingenuous for Amaechi, to attribute insecurity in the state to unemployment.

    He said: “Is unemployment fuelling insecurity in Kaduna, Plateau , Borno, Yobe, Ondo, Ebony, Imo, Niger States governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC)?”

    The Governor, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said if the Minister, who is the immediate past Governor, had any modicum of sincerity, he would attest to the fact that security is the sole responsibility of the federal government.

    He said: “Is he (Amaechi) trying to indict his boss, President Muhammad Buhari, who is the Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and who is constitutionally saddle with the responsibility to provide security for Nigerians.

    “It is a well known fact that Amaechi is the one who appoints every Commissioner of Police that has been posted to Rivers State since 2015. So, if there is any security failure, he is to blame.”

    Wike described the minister’s utterance on the current imposition of curfew in the state, following the recent attacks on police formations, as rather unfortunate.

    He said: “Perhaps, the minister is happy that members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are killing innocent policemen , who were protecting lives and property. Is Amaechi happy that the weapons of these slain security personnel were carted away by the hoodlums? Amaechi, from all indication has lost focus and is now frustrated.”

    The Governor declared that his administration had offered scholarship to over 500 Rivers students to study medicine and other related courses at the PAMO University.

    Reacting to allegation by the Minister that he was acquiring property in the state, the Governor said it was better to acquire property in Nigeria than to do so in Ghana.

    Wike said Amaechi jubilation over the defection of his former Commissioner of Urban and Rural Planning, who was indicted by a Judicial Commission of inquiry, was a pointer that he is politically irrelevant in Rivers.

    The Governor further urged the Minister to return to Abuja and resolve the financial malfeasance rocking federal agencies under his watch, and desist from destroying the homes of others.

  • Gov Wike relaxes curfew in Rivers LGAs

    Gov Wike relaxes curfew in Rivers LGAs

    Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike has reviewed the curfew in Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas of the state from 8.30pm to 6am starting effective Sunday May 16, 2021.

    Governor Wike however announced that the curfew time in other parts of the state remains 7pm to 6am until further notice.


    He disclosed this when he addressed the people of the state, in a broadcast, Saturday evening.

    He urged the residents to be vigilant as they go about their lawful businesses, assuring that security officials are on ground to address any state of insecurity.

  • Gov Wike promises N220m to families of slain policemen

    Gov Wike promises N220m to families of slain policemen

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said the state will give N20 million to the families of each of the eleven police personnel killed by gunmen during recent attacks of police formations in the state.

    The governor, who spoke when he paid a condolence visit to the Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka and officers of the state’s police command on Monday, tasked them to henceforth be on offensive against those, perpetrating the heinous acts.

    Wike, while addressing officers and men of the police at the Police Officers Mess in Port Harcourt, said his visit was to commiserate with them over the death of some of their colleagues, who lost their lives in line of duty while protecting the state.

    He acknowledged that though the money could not equate human lives, his gesture was aimed at assuaging the bereaved families.

    The governor described as heart-wrenching the unwarranted killing of policemen, who were legitimately protecting lives and property of citizens of the country.

    He said: “In the past two to three weeks, we have lost eleven police officers and men. This is a dark period for us in the state.”

    He lamented that the gunmen, who carried out the dastardly killings coldheartedly turned the wives of the slain policemen to widows and rendered their children, fatherless for no just cause.

    Wike charged the state police command to be more proactive to ward off further attacks and resolve never again to condone the killing of its personnel by those bent on instigating crisis in the country.

    The governor reiterated that no amount of vicious attacks or intimidation could compel Rivers to become part of any secessionist agenda.

    He maintained that the people of Rivers believed in the unity of the Nigerian state.

    He said: “We must be united to fight for this country to be one. We must not allow anyone to talk about secession. If you want to secede, Rivers State is not part of it, and nobody can cow Rivers State to be part of it. Not under my watch will I allow that.”

    The governor assured the command of the government’s continuous support and charged police personnel to be more careful and vigilant.

    In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Friday Eboka on behalf of the Acting-Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, thanked the governor for assuaging the pains of the bereaved families.

    Eboka told the governor that the armed men, who attacked three different police formations gruesomely, killed seven officers.

    According to him, two officers, who sustained bullet injuries, were receiving treatment.

    He said: “It is noteworthy that the hoodlums did not escape without suffering fatalities, as two of them lost their lives and their Hilux riddled with bullets was abandoned. Thanks to RRT Commander and other Tactical Teams who responded to the distress call.”

    He stated that in spite of ugly developments, officers and men of the state command would not shy away from their responsibilities.

    He said: “Your visit today will further boost their morals. I, therefore, want to use this opportunity to reassure the good people of Rivers State of our resolve to continue to protect their lives and property.”

  • Rivers State Government reviews Curfew from 7pm to 6am

    Rivers State Government reviews Curfew from 7pm to 6am

    The Rivers State Government has reviewed the existing night curfew imposed on the state.

    The State Governor, Nyesom Wike said the curfew will now begin from 7pm to 6am daily with effect from tomorrow and until further notice.

    The curfew was initially from 10pm to 6am daily.

    The Governor in a state-wide broadcast said the review of the curfew is a further step towards enhancing the collective safety of the state.

    Governor Wike said the decision followed last Friday’s attack on security formations across the state which led to the death of seven police officers.

    The Governor said, “as a further step towards enhancing our collective safety, we have reviewed the existing night curfew across the twenty-three local government areas which will now start from 7pm and end at 6am until further notice from tomorrow 11th of May 2021”.

    “Security agencies are hereby directed to note the new curfew time, ensure strict compliance and effectively deal with any person or group that violates or attempt to violate this order”.

    The Governor also said his government has “reviewed and for the moment declined the pressure on the state government to activate youths to defend the state from the terrorists because we don’t want to complicate our very delicate security situation by creating opportunities for some other monster to emerge”.

    “However, we are determined to deploy everything with our disposal to advance the security of lives and property in our state and nothing will stop us from defeating the evil forces presently threatening our individual and collective security.”

    Governor Wike further appealed for the understanding of members of the public over the recent review of the curfew.

  • Wike Condemns Rivers Attacks, Promises To Secure State

    Wike Condemns Rivers Attacks, Promises To Secure State

    Governor Nyesom Wike has condemned the recent attacks on police formations in Rivers State.

    In a statement signed by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, Governor Wike said the attacks were carried out by unidentified gunmen who “are bent on plunging Nigeria into another unwarranted crisis.”

    “He, on behalf of the Government and people of Rivers State, expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the Policemen and the Rivers State Police Command,” the statement said.

    While assuring residents to be calm, Governor Wike said “the Security Council has taken measures to secure the State.”

    Seven police officers were killed in overnight (between Friday and Saturday) attacks on three police formations in two Local Government Areas.

    According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nnamdi Omoni, the attack which took place at 8:30pm, on Friday was carried out by “unknown gunmen who drove in two branded Hilic vans.”

    Omoni said two policemen were killed by the assailants at a special checkpoint between Choba community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and Emohua Local Government Area with a private car belonging to one of the policemen set ablaze.

    He added that the hoodlums then launched a second attack on a police station in Rumuji, a town along the Bayelsa axis of the East west road in Emohua Local Government Area, killing two more policemen and set a police patrol van ablaze.

    He said the third attack was launched on another police station in a community called Elimgbu in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where three additional police officers were killed.

    The Rivers State Police Spokesman, however, said during the attack at Rumuji, the officers at the police station were able to put up a “strong resistance” and in the process, “fatally wounded two of the attackers who died on the spot.”

    Omoni added that, in Elimgbu where three policemen were killed in the third attack, the officers there also engaged the attackers in a gunfight which forced the hoodlums to “abandon their bullet ridden Hilux van, while they escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds with a snatched sienna bus.”

    He noted that no police station was burnt during the attacks, but five assault rifles were lost to the gunmen.

    The police Spokeman said security has been strengthened in all its formations, while appealing to Rivers State residents to be security conscious.

    Omoni said the Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, has ordered a thorough investigation into the attacks after visiting the scenes of the incidents on Saturday morning.

    These attacks come less than one month after unknown gunmen killed five soldiers, three customary personnel and some police officers in attacks in Ikwerre Local Government Area and Abua/Odual Local Government Area.

    Those attacks in April prompted the Rivers State Security Council, headed by Governor Nysom Wike to impose a nighttime curfew at the entry and exit points of the state from 8pm to 6am and also announced the restriction of movement within the state between 10pm and 6am daily.

  • BREAKING: Gunmen kill two Policemen in Rivers

    BREAKING: Gunmen kill two Policemen in Rivers

    Gunmen have killed two police officers in two night attacks on police facilities in Emohua local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers state.

    The gunmen also reportedly burnt two patrol vehicles and destroyed security checkpoints along East West road.

    A community source confided in The Nation the incidents occurred around 10pm on Friday.

    Governor Nyesom Wike had shut down all land borders and imposed curfew from 10pm to 6am to forestall attacks on security personnels and infrastructure in the state.

    Our correspondents gathered the gunmen first stormed and destroyed C4I checkpoint located after Choba bridge without killing any officer.

    They then proceeded to Ogbakiri junction where they killed a police officer on duty.

    The attackers were also said to have moved to Rumuji Police station where they killed another officer, beheading him and razing two patrol vehicles before escaping through Elele Alimini axis of the East West road.

    It was learnt they operated without any challenge from security forces.

    We further gathered the hoodlums came in a Hilux van and wore two different security uniforms to deceive policemen on duty.

    Rivers State Police Command is yet to issue a statement on the incident.

    Attempts to get official reactions were not fruitful.

    Reports had it that the Commissioner of Police Ebola Friday has gone for on- the- spot assessment of the incidents.

  • Kaduna suffering from evils El-Rufai once wished Rivers – Wike

    Kaduna suffering from evils El-Rufai once wished Rivers – Wike

    Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has mocked his Kaduna counterpart, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, saying the insecurity in the latter’s state was a payback of the crisis he once plotted against Rivers.

    The Governor spoke on Friday when Vice-President of Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, Rotarian Obiageli Ejezie, led other leaders of the association to the Government House, Port Harcourt.

    A statement signed by Wike’s Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said the delegation was in Government House to confer on the Governor the “2019/2020 Good Governance Award” for his outstanding achievements in project execution in Rivers.


    While accusing the Federal Government of instigating security crises in Rivers, Wike said Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by El-Rufai, visited the Presidency to demand the withdrawal of a Commissioner of Police from Rivers.

    He said: “Now, in order to cause crisis in our state, they brought the CP they wanted. At the end of the day, God did not allow them to have their way.

    “But see what is happening in his state now. When you are plotting evil against somebody, evil will visit you. And that is the problems Governor El-Rufai is facing today in Kaduna State.

    “I remember when I came in 2015, when they were honouring one of their friends as a Minister on live television Channels, El-Rufai had the temerity to say that (my) election cannot stand in Rivers state and that they will kick me out.”

    Wike accused the Federal Government controlled by the APC of dragging Nigeria fifty years backwards following its abysmal performance.

    The Governor maintained that the APC mismanaged the opportunity Nigerians gave them to make a difference and deserve to be voted out in 2023.

    The Governor told the delegation in 2015, APC convinced Nigerians they were going to offer better governance than the former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    But he said: “There can’t be good governance without security and this is based on rule of law. All of us are living witnesses in 2015 when it was alleged that the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan, could not perform. So Nigeria needed a change. What has happened to the change? They have taken Nigeria back by 50 years.”

    Wike wondered how long the Federal government would allow the needless killings and abduction of innocent Nigerians to continue.

    He said it was no longer acceptable for Nigerians to wake up daily to such ugly news of killings because they expected the government to guarantee security.

    He said: “Now, you wake up every morning, students are being kidnapped in so and so State University, people have been killed in so and so State. So, it has become a norm.

    “Just wake up in the morning and the first thing you will see on the front page of dailies is 10 people have been kidnapped in Niger State; 20 have been killed in Zamfara State, 5 have been killed in Imo and this happens virtually every day. So, where are we heading to?”

    The Rivers Governor said his administration was doing everything possible to secure life and property of all residents in the state.

  • Governor Nyesom Wike imposes curfew across Rivers State

    Governor Nyesom Wike imposes curfew across Rivers State

    The Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has imposed a curfew in all the 23 local government areas of the state.

    The Governor said the curfew takes effect from today, Thursday, April 29, 2021.

    Governor Wike made the announcement in a statewide broadcast on Thursday.

    The announcement is coming two days after the Governor imposed a night curfew at all land borders in the state.

    The Governor said a review of the security situation since the last curfew was imposed shows that security threats still exist.

    According to him, “It has become imperative for the state government to take further necessary measures to secure our state and safeguard lives and property”

    “Accordingly, the state security council has today, after exhaustive deliberations decided and advised that a statewide curfew on human and vehicular movements be imposed as part of additional measures to prevent the faceless criminals from unleashing their deadly actions”.

    “Consequently, a night curfew is hereby imposed on the entire twenty-three local government areas of the state, prohibiting any human and or vehicular movement within or any part of the state from 10pm to 6am from today 29th April 2021, until further notice”.

    The governor explained that the intention behind the curfew is to secure the state and guarantee the protection of lives and property.

    He also appealed for the understanding of residents of the state while charging them to report any suspicious movement to security agencies.

  • Murderers of Security Operatives In Rivers Must Be Arrested immediately – Wike

    Murderers of Security Operatives In Rivers Must Be Arrested immediately – Wike

    Rivers State Governor  Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has directed that the perpetrators of the attack on security personnel in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the State must be fished out and brought to justice.

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said three of its personnelwere killed in the attack which was carried out along Omagwa/Isiokpo/Elele Owerri Road in the state.

    Some police officers were also reported killed in the attack.

    In a statement condemning the attack, Governor Wike said there is no justification for such a heinous attack targeted against innocent security personnel on legitimate duty of protecting life and property in the State.

    “The Government of Rivers State is saddened by the unwarranted callous attack on security personnel. We offer our sympathies to the relatives of those who lost their lives in the attack.

    “We condemn this heinous act, share the grief of the security agencies and convey our sincere condolences,” the statement signed by the Governor’s Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri read in part.

    The governor, who charged the security agencies to be vigilant, affirmed that the Government and people of Rivers State stand in solidarity with security agencies at this difficult time of this unwarranted and mindless violence.