Paris Club refunds: Bayelsa dissociates from NGF on N53.6 bn consultancy fee

The Bayelsa government has dissociated itself from purported hiring of consultants for the first tranche of the Paris club refunds by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

Ned Nwoko has dragged the NGF to court over N53.6 bn fees part of which was allegedly paid to consultants who did not render any consultancy service.

Jonatan’s kinsmen defend his position on 2015 elections

Jonatan’s kinsmen defend his position on 2015 elections

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s kinsmen under the aegis of Ogbia Political Forum in Bayelsa rose to his defense following criticisms that greeted his interview in a new book entitled‘Against the Run of Play’.

The book was authoured by ThisDay editorial board chairman, Mr. Segun Adeniyi.

In the book Jonathan was said to have spoken about those who worked against him during the 2015 general elections.

Magistrate Court frees , dismisses charges against 44 IPOB members detained in Bayelsa

A Yenagoa Magistrate's Court in Bayelsa on Tuesday freed 44 detained members of the Indigenous People ‎of Biafra. (IPOB) on same day aFederal High Court in Abuja granted bail to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.

The Presiding Magistrate, Penawei Mukoro, on Tuesday, dismissed the three counts of conspiracy, breach of public peace and unlawful gathering levelled against them (suspects) by the police.

The magistrate, who noted that the case against the detained 44 IPOB members had a 'no-case submission', subsequently discharged and acquitted the accused persons.

Bayelsa Govt. bemoans delays in release of second tranche of Paris Club refunds

The Bayelsa State Government has said that the non-release of Paris Club

refunds by the Federal Government is frustrating its plans to clear backlog of workers’ salaries and other projects.

It will be recalled that civil servants in the state are owed six months salary
arrears in 2016 despite receiving some N99 billion allocation from the federation account in 2016.

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The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday that Bayelsa government had satisfactorily disbursed the first tranche of the refunds.

Niger Delta youth group urges FG to set up committe to identify local refining site

Niger Delta Youth Coalition for Peace and Progress (NDYCPP), on Sunday advised the federal government to set up a committee to identify and document local refineries operating in the region.

The group noted that establishing the committe would be the next logical step to federal government's plan to liberalise modular refineries as announced by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during his recent tour.

Mr Olayinka Jude, Acting National President of NDYCPP who gave the advise in an interview on Sunday noted that the committee would generate a database for planning purposes.

Police rescue 2 kidnapped Turkish Workers in A/Ibom

 The Akwa Ibom Police  Command says it has rescued  two Turkish nationals  kidnapped on April 9 in their hotel rooms at Eket, Eket Local Government Area of the state.

The Turkish citizens are staff of BKS Construction Company in Onna Local Government Area.

The  Commissioner of Police, Mr Donald Awunah, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Uyo on Friday.

Awunah said that the two expatriates were rescued along Oron/Calabar creeks on April 19.

He said that five suspects  have been arrested  in  connection with the crime.

“It will be recalled that on April 9, two Turkish nationals were kidnapped and taken to the creeks of Calabar/Oron waterways.

“Following sustained Police activities in the waterways, deployment of technical platform, cultivation of actionable intelligence and skillful professional negotiation, the two Turkish gentlemen were released on April 19, 2017.

“The victims of crime have been reunited with their colleagues after medical assessment.

“Five suspects have been arrested and further investigation is ongoing,” Awunah said.

The commissioner said that the suspects would be arraigned after investigation.

Nembe community disrupts oil production at Agip’s Obama flow station in Bayelsa

 

The people of Egebekiri community in Nembe Local Government Area on Thursday protested against neglect by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at the oil firm’s fields in the area. .

The residents took their protest to the Obama flow station operated by the company, disrupting production in oil wells 5, 7, 9 and 12..

Chief Karibi MacDonald, Community Leader in Egebekiri community, said they were tired of writing letters to official quarters seeking intervention without any positive response.

Group advises FG against excluding ex-militants in ongoing peace deal in Niger Delta

A Niger Delta Peace Advocacy group,the Grass roots Initiative for Peace and Social Orientation (GIPSO) on has urged the Federal Government to build on the succeses of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo's recent tour to achieve lasting peace.

The group berated the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources , Ibe Kachikwu for giving attention to groups that perpetrated sabotage on oil facilities especially the Niger Delta Avengers and excluding ex-agitators who have been working to maintain peace in the region.

GIPSO noted that only widespread consultation with all segments of Niger Delta region would makethe peace package put together by  Osinbajo for the region to succeed.

Hoodlums kill another policemen, snatch riffle in Yenagoa, Bayelsa

Barely one week after a policeman lost his service rifle to unknown gunmen, another policeman was on Easter Sunday attacked and killed by unidentified hoodlums who took away an AK-47 riffle in Yenagoa.

The ill-fated policeman was reportedly killed in a beer parlour in the state capital where he reportedly went to cool off.

The hoodlums stole the police AK47 rifle after murdering the policeman at a relaxation spot on Hospital Road area.

Niger Delta youth coalition mourns Obua, Jonathan’s former CSO

The Niger Delta Youth Coalition for Peace and Progress (NDYCPP) on Sunday expressed grief over the death of Mr Gordon Obua, the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Obua, who hailed from Ogbia Local Government Area, died of heart attack on Thursday at the National Hospital, Abuja.

Mr Fred Obua, a family member to the late CSO, had confirmed the death in a telephone interview on Friday

Easter Disaster: Fire guts over 12 houses in Bayelsa

Two separate  fire incidents in Yenagoa, Bayelsa  capital, that happened between Friday and Saturday  destroyed properties worth millions of Naira.

The first incident occurred on Friday night at  Amarata, a Yenagoa suburb.

The second occurred early today in Ovom, a suburb of the state capital .

Niger Delta Youth Coalition applauds Bayelsa Govt. empowerment scheme

 Niger Delta Youth Coalition applauds Bayelsa Govt. empowerment scheme

The Niger Delta Youth Coalition for Peace and Progress (NDYCPP) on Thursday, applauded the various youth empowerment schemes of the Bayelsa Government.

The coalition, in a statement in Bayelsa on Thursday  signed by Pastor Olayinka Jude, its Acting National Chairman, said the development would drastically reduce youth restiveness and restored peace in the state.

Pirates kill 2 soldiers, injure 3 in Niger Delta waterways

 

Two soldiers attached to the Joint Military Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, died in a gun duel with yet to be identified gunmen on Wednesday, an official has confirmed.

The soldiers were part of a team dispatched in response to a distress call on an attack by suspected pirates operating in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa, Maj. Abubakar Abdulahi, the  Spokesman for JTF, confirmed.

Three members of the team also sustained gunshot injuries and are currently receiving medical attention, Abdulahi said in a statemnt on Thursday.

Transparency: NGO urges Dickson to emulate El-Rufai

Patriotic Citizens of Nigeria (PACON), an NGO, on Thursday urged Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa to emulate his Kaduna State counterpart, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, by publishing details of his monthly salary and security vote.

PACON threw the challenge in a statement signed by its conveners, Messrs Aluzu Ebikebuna and Poweidei Debekeme, in Yenagoa.

Bayelsa Assembly urges executive to tighten security at border to forstal communal clash

The Bayelsa State House of Assembly on Wednesday urged the executive arm of Bayelsa government to take urgent steps to stop the lingering boundary dispute between the people of Nembe in the state and Kalabari in Rivers.

The State Assembly passed a two-point resolutions which urged the state government to deploy security agen ies to protect communities exposed to frequent attack in its borders with Rivers.

Lincoln University threatens to deport 21 Bayelsa Govt. scholarship beneficiaries for non-payment of fees

Lincoln University  threatens to deport 21 Bayelsa Govt. scholarship beneficiaries for non-payment of fees



 An American University has threatened to deport 21 students under the scholarship of Bayelsa government  may deported due to failure failure of the government to pay up their school fees, at the end of a three week grace.

The undergraduates who are in their final academic semester at the Lincoln University,  Pennsylvania, are appealing to the Bayelsa government to urgently intervene to save their carrer prospects.

Kidnapping : Bayelsa Police Command nabs soldier, engineer

Kidnapping : Bayelsa Police Command nabs soldier, engineer

 Bayelsa Police Command on Saturday said it  arrested two suspects, a serving soldier and an engineer for kidnapping of a lady in Warri, Delta on April 4, 2017.

The  suspects were paraded before newsmen by Bayelsa Police Commisioner  Mr Asuquo Amba.

Bayelsa Govt. offers job to corps member, honours 5 others

The Bayelsa Government has offered  employment to a corps member, Mr Endurance Aimuan, for emerging overall best of 2016 Batch A stream 1 service year in the State.

Also, Otto Chimenem (BY/16A/1125) and Jaja Emmanuel (BY/16A/0798), got state honours.

Abara Peace (BY/16A/0909), Eboh Gilgal Umiah (BY/16A/0825) and Innocent Dooshima (By/16A/3037) got the Chairman’s honours award.

Customer seeks N3b compensation from bank over illegal withdrawal

Mr Godwin Sidi, Managing Director of Godsidi Investments Limited has dragged the management of Access Bank to a High Court in Yenagoa for unauthourised deductions from a corporate bank accounts.

The claimant, Sidi is seeking N3billion compensation for unauthorized withdrawal of N151.81 million from the account of his company, Godsidi Investments Limited.

Bayelsa Govt. Moves to ensure quality control on development projects

 The Bayelsa government on has said that it will henceforth strenghten the monitoring of contractors handling government's development projects to ensure quality control.

It further said that attitude of contractors bye-passing supervising ministries after securing contracts from the government will no longer be tolerated.

The Commissioner for Science and Technology and Manpower Development, Chief Blessing Izagara, stated this while addressing contractors handling Science and Technology related projects in Yenagoa.

Dickson, NLC, TUC meeting on education levy ends in stalemate.

 The meeting between Gov Seriaks Dickson of Bayelsa and labour leaders over the compulsory education levy on civil servants ended in a stalemate.

The Labour unions in Bayelsa have opposed the newly enacted act to compel civil servants to contribute to a pool of fund for educational development of the state signed into law on March 29 by Dickson.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chapter Chairmen said on Wednesday that the meeting did not arrive at a consensus on the levy.

Niger Delta Youth Coalition backs Gov Dickson education development levy in Bayelsa

Niger Delta Youth Coalition backs Gov Dickson education development levy in Bayelsa

The Niger Delta Youths Coalition for Peace and Progerss (NDYCPP) on Sunday applauded the educational policies recently unveiled by Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa.