Connect with us

Metro

Nigerian Government To Engage Militants Over Kidnapping, Others

Published

on

Amid the incessant cases of sea piracy and kidnapping at the coastal communities in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, the President General of Oro Development Union, Sir Esang Nsa Bassey in this interview urged Akwa Ibom State government to seek audience with the ex-militants who have expressed willingness to stop their nefarious activities. He also expressed dismay at the delay in the realization of Ibaka deep seaport, among other issues.

The Federal government in 2013 proposed to construct a bridge for Oron-Calabar River, what is the update?

Actually, the contract for the construction of the bridge was awarded in 2013 under the leadership of Goodluck Jonathan without funding the project. We hope that the present Federal government will mobilize contractors to complete the bridge. It’s about 13.5km. The bridge when completed will ease movement from the South South region to the North East region of the country and boost the economy. Even the people of Northern Cross River will equally benefit. We urge the federal government to make funding arrangements immediately. Oron remains a coastal town and a Nigeria window to other countries such as Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, among others.

So we want the federal government to reactivate that project, resolve what held it back. They would have signed the funding agreement but there came the issue of alignment where the bridge should start and where it should stop, so we want them to speedily resolve what was the problem. Also we have the issue of our seashores being constantly washed away; the federal government, since it is their duty, should protect our shorelines so that it will not go beyond what we are having at the moment.

Advertisement

Is there any problem between Akwa Ibom State government and Oro nation because Uyo, Nsit Atai, Okobo road have remained uncompleted for many years unlike other road projects?

As a people, we don’t have any problem with the Akwa Ibom State government. Since 1999, the five local governments in Oro have been supporting the state government even up to this moment but I can’t understand why we’ve been marginalized and our road remains like that up till this moment. I will say the present administration is trying to do something about it, until they do it, it is what it is. The truth is that unless you develop Oro the whole Akwa Ibom State remains undeveloped. Thank God that the state government is trying to do something on parts of the roads. While the state government is doing that, we call on the federal government to work on the trunk A road- Oron-Uyo Ikot-Ekpene-Aba. The portion between Aba Ikot Ekpene is under construction but Uyo Oron, Ikot Ekpene Axis of trunk A road should be awarded to good contractors and the project completed as soon as possible, it is something that will boost the economy of the area.

Honestly, Ibaka deep seaport has been embroiled in politics over the years, the Federal government set up an implementation committee to deliver the port within two years, what happened thereafter we cannot comprehend. Till today, the state government has not told us why the federal government had to leave, why the name has to change from Ibaka deep seaport to Ibom deep seaport and where the new location of the seaport is.

I think one day the seaport will be constructed at Ibaka because it has a natural bay; as I said earlier, unless you develop Oron, the rest of the Akwa Ibom State will remain undeveloped, because if you can’t develop a seaport there, I don’t see how this state can develop economically and benefit from blue sea economy that the present federal government is championing. Go to Lagos State, they have Tin Can Island, Apapa wharf, then Lekki seaport and they are building another one in Badagry and we are here struggling to get one seaport.

Advertisement

I think we should understand that when the port is constructed, it’s not only Oro people that will benefit from it, everybody will benefit from that. So, nobody should try to stifle the project thinking to stop Oro people from benefiting from it. Also, if the state government allows the proposed solution hub of the NNPC to come up, it will also bring development to the state.

Are you not worried that the Maritime Academy upgraded to a university is yet to commence operation?

Yes we are very worried that Maritime Academy is yet to function as a university after the law establishing it received assent by the then President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022. What is remaining now is for the Federal government to constitute the governing council and appoint a Vice Chancellor. We hope that the senate president, Chief Godswill Akpabio will look into it as he promised and ensure its full implementation.

The rate of sea piracy and kidnapping in Oron is getting too high, what are the measures put in place by the union to address it?

Advertisement

Insecurity has become a problem all over the country. We know that it is getting high in Oron, a once bubbling community and market in Oron is now a ghost town due to the activities of these people.

When I assumed office, I had a meeting with the ex-militants in this area, they paid me a courtesy visit and issues of insecurity, sea piracy, kidnapping were raised and they (ex-militants) assured me that they would work with me to ensure that insecurity is addressed. If you look at other parts of the country, the governments are using them (ex-militants) to maintain peace by giving them contracts to protect the area as well as pipelines.

So, why is our state government not adopting that? Why is our state government refusing to speak with these ex-militants who agreed to stop militancy and incessant kidnapping in Oron? They said they need the government to assist them in terms of funding and engage them. I use the opportunity to call on the Akwa Ibom State government to address the issues of ex-militants in Oron so as to curb the insecurity issues bedeviling the area.

Since the creation of Akwa Ibom State, we’ve had prominent sons and daughters of Oron in government but none has become the governor, do you still have hope that the Oron nation will produce a governor in the near future?

Advertisement

I have great hope that one day we will have a governor of Oron extraction; we are standing on a three tripod, the other two have had their turn and Oron will one day occupy the hilltop mansion. Irrespective of the marginalization of Oron people, we will get there. All I know is that political power is not given, it is worked for, we shall raise our sons and daughters who will have the will to work for the power, grab it and run with it.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Metro

Edo govt demolishes more houses linked to kidnappers

Published

on

By

As the Edo State Government’s Anti-Kidnapping Task Force continues to bring down property of kidnappers, a middle-aged man, Odianosen Oboh, of Uromi in Edo Central Senatorial District, has lost his inherited property due to his activities in kidnapping.

The property was yesterday demolished by the task force, following his arrest and confession to the crime.

Speaking with reporters before the demolition, Oboh said he recently received N800,000 as proceeds from his last mission.

He said: “My name na Odianosen Oboh. Na my house be this. My papa build am, but I finish the house. Na my friend Epama I follow, we carry one man from Ekpoma, as we carry am, the car when we use spoil, I come use my bike carry am.

Advertisement

“We carry am go inside bush for Uromi, we spent three days inside the bush before they pay us N5 million. Na five of us do the job and them give me N800,000. I use the money pay some kind debts when I owe before.”

On how he was arrested, he said: “Na Epama when them hold confess me, and them come pick me. Now them wan break my house, my papa house because of N800,000. My family no go get house again. My children they are outside now. Anybody that see crime should run from crime.”

The Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Security Affairs, Mr. Akhere Paul, after supervising the demolition of the fourth property of kidnap suspects, said the Edo governor would not relent, until kidnapping ended in the state.

Paul said: “My advice to everybody is that, there is no peace for the wicked. Those ones still kidnapping should know the government will not stop.

Advertisement

“Your time will come and we will come for you. We will chase them, continue to chase them, and we will continue to bring their houses down.”

The Commander, Task Force, Michael Anetor, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the suspects, who belonged to a gang of five, had confessed to the crime and the task force had to enforce the law.

Continue Reading

Metro

SAD! Bandits k!ll village head, want N90m for grand children five others

Published

on

By

The family of the murdered Dnako village head in Bwari Area Council of the FCT, HRH Etsu Yuda Garba, has revealed that the two grandchildren of the village head, including five other residents who were abducted alongside the chief, are still alive in their abductors’ captivity.

A family member of the late village head, Mr. Tanko Baba, while giving update on the incident through telephone on Tuesday, said the kidnappers’ leader called on Monday, saying the chief’s grandchildren and the five other residents were alive and healthy.

He said during the conversation, the family pleaded with the kidnappers’ leader to cut down the ransom to a level that they could afford, and he agreed to reduce it from N100 million to N90 million.

He said, “It was my elder brother that spoke with the leader of the kidnappers on Monday, around 11:23 am and during the conversation, the kidnappers’ leader gave the phone to the chief’s grandchildren to confirm that they are alive alongside the five other residents.’’

Advertisement

He said their leader insisted on the N90 million ransom, adding that they threatened to kill one of the victims again should the family delay in raising the money.

He said, “As am talking to you right now, the family are in state of devastation because we don’t know how and where to raise such money. And that is how they threatened to kill the chief like play, at the end, they ended up killing him.”

It would be recalled that the kidnappers had on March 11, 2025 invaded Dnako village in Bwari around 12:03 am and abducted the late chief, two of his grandchildren, Ephraim and Philemon, alongside five other residents of the community.

The kidnappers who had earlier demanded for N100 ended up killing the chief on Sunday, and dumped his corpse at Knakuchi village under Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State.

Advertisement

The corpse of the late chief was retrieved by the vigilantes and he was buried in Dnako village in Bwari.

(Daily Trust)

Continue Reading

Metro

Just in: One casualty, 10 injured in another auto crash on Kogi Express where 7 Fed varsity students died

Published

on

By

Another fatal road accident has occurred in the Felele area of Lokoja, Kogi State, claiming the life of one person and leaving at least 10 others hospitalised.

The incident happened on Tuesday, just a day after students of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) resumed academic activities following the tragic deaths of seven of their colleagues in a similar crash last month.

Eyewitnesses who spoke to SaharaReporters confirmed that three university students were among those injured in the latest accident.

“Another accident for Felele just this week that school resumed. One person died. We have more than 10 serious injuries sustained. Three students were involved,” a witness told SaharaReporters.

Advertisement

“They have been taken to the specialist hospital,” he added.

This latest tragedy has reignited concerns over the growing number of accidents on the Lokoja highway, a notorious black spot that has claimed several lives in recent months.

Last week, SaharaReporters reported that the Federal University Lokoja had reopened after being shut down indefinitely in February due to the deadly accident that claimed the lives of seven students and a bus driver.

The accident, which occurred near the university’s permanent site, involved an articulated truck carrying wood and jerrycans of palm oil. The truck reportedly lost control and crashed into a shuttle bus transporting students.

Advertisement

Eyewitnesses recounted how the bus was preparing to leave for the university when the truck rammed into it at high speed, crushing the vehicle and killing its occupants instantly.

The incident sparked massive protests, with students blocking major roads and demanding urgent government intervention to prevent further loss of lives on the highway.

In response, the university management, in consultation with security agencies and the Kogi State Government, ordered an immediate closure of the institution to prevent further escalation of protests.

Students were directed to vacate campus immediately as tensions ran high.

Advertisement

Following weeks of negotiations and promises by the authorities to improve road safety measures, the university’s Senate approved the reopening of the institution on March 10, 2025. A statement issued by the university’s management stated that lectures would commence on March 17, 2025.

However, barely 48 hours after students resumed, another accident occurred in the same Felele area, further highlighting the dangers of the Lokoja highway.

Students and residents of the area have expressed frustration over the repeated road tragedies, blaming poor road conditions, reckless driving by truck drivers, and lack of adequate traffic control measures.

“The government has done nothing to stop these accidents. How many more people must die before something is done?” a student lamented.

Advertisement

Another resident, who identified himself as Musa, told SaharaReporters, “We have been crying about this issue for a long time, but the authorities don’t care. Every time an accident happens, they make empty promises, and then nothing changes. Now another person has died.”

With the latest accident adding to the growing death toll, students and concerned residents are once again calling on the government to take immediate action to prevent further tragedies.

They demand strict speed limits for heavy-duty trucks be enforced, improved road signage be installed, and pedestrian bridges be constructed in accident-prone areas.

Despite repeated tragedies on this highway, authorities have yet to take meaningful action to address the dangers posed to students and other road users.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Naija Blitz News