Flood: River Nun overflows bank, submerges Tombia community in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.

 The River Nun, a tributary of River Niger has overflown its bank and submerged residents along its bank in Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital.

The residents of Tombia community in Ekpetiama kingdom, Yenagoa Local Government Area woke up  Monday morning to find out that flood had overtaken the community.

The flooding is sequel a surge from the River Nun which burst its bank over night as inhabitants are now left in shock over the development as vast farmlands with crops, houses and other valuables have been overtaken by the rampaging waters.

Some of the residents in the area who narrated their ordeal to a NAN correspondent said some houses as well as farmlands and fishing gear had been lost to the disaster.

Bayelsa was listed by the Nigerian Meteorological Servises Agency as one of the flood prone states in its 2017 rain forcast.

Bayelsa constituents petition Dogara acuse Rep of neglect

A member of House of Representatives, Mr. Henry Ofongo, on Tuesday, came under attacks by his constituents in Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency, Bayelsa, for alleged poor performance at the National Assembly.

The constituents in an an open letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, accused Ofongo of neglecting his constitutional mandate and abandoning his constituency after his election.

In the letter, which was signed on their behalf by President, Federated Union of Southern Ijaw Students Mr Atobu Pilot and the President, Amassoma Community, Mr Ebiowei Saniyigha, they claimed the lawmaker was unfit to represent them.

Former MEND leader applauds Buhari for sustaining Amnesty programme

Mr. Ebikabowei Victor-Ben, Former commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), popularly known as General Boyloaf, has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for sustaining the Presidential Amnesty Scheme.

The ex-agitator noted that the President’s decision to continue with the Presidential Amnesty Ptogramme on assumption of in 2015, was a demonstration of his good intentions for youths of the Niger Delta region.

Victor-Ben  spoke on Tuesday at a Peace day ceremony to mark the day agitators willingly dropped their arms at the Yenagoa Peace Park , opposite the Bayelsa Government House.

Bayelsa Govt. applauds Idyl for victory in Voice Nigeria musical reality show

The Bayelsa government on Monday applauded the sterling performance of 22 year old Daniel Diongoli popularly known as Idyl in the musical reality show 'Voice Nigeria' concluded on Sunday in South Africa.

In a statement issued by Mr Jonathan Obuebite, Bayelsa Commisioner for Information, the government described the emergence of IDYL as the winner of the voice Nigeria in South Africa as a welcome development.

IDYL,  an undergraduate student at the State owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma hails from Kolokuma in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area of the  state.

Obuebite congratulated the winner and described his victory as a morale booster for other teeming youths in the state.

 He said IDYL with his scintillating performance has showed to the world  that Bayelsa is not and should not be seen as a place for militant activities.  

Obuebite also extended his congratulations to IDYL’s coach in the competition, Timi Dakolo and other coaches – Yemi Alade, Waje, and Patoranking who at one point or the other helped him achieve this victory.

He also thanked the people of Bayelsa state particularly and Nigerians in general for voting for IDYL, and also the judges who were not political in taking the decision of announcing the winner.

 The commissioner used the opportunity to call on youths in the state who have one talent or the other to always pursue their dream irrespective of whatever challenge they face on their way to achieving that dream.

It will be recalled that the state came third and fifth respectively in the 2017 NECO and WAEC.

Also,  St.  Judes Secondary school female basketball team retained the trophy in the just concluded MILO basketball competition  for secondary schools in Nigeria.

Obuebite noted that the state government's huge investment in education sector particular the youths is continuing to yield desirable dividend.

Niger Delta : Group to partner Bayelsa Govt to tackle illegal emigration of youths to Europe

A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) has berated the mass exodus of youths from the Niger Delta region from illegal routes and has proffered to find solutions in collaboratio  with Bayelsa government.

A German-based NGO,  African Tide Union (ATU) and the Bayelsa government on Tuesday commenced partnership to create jobs for teeming unemployed youths as part of solutions to the Niger Delta crisis.

A 10-member team of ATU, led by the union's President, Ms Roselyn Dressman, presented a Niger Delta Master Plan for the job-creation project to the Bayelsa Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) in Government House, Yenagoa.

Speaking on the project, ATU's Youth Ambassador, Ms Tarilaya Weber, said the master plan entitled, Reduce Migration, Activate Returnees (Red-Mas) was developed to stop desperate migration of youths from the Niger Delta to European countries.

Bayelsa Govt seeks probe of pirates attack on vessel that killed 3 security escorts in Bayelsa waterways

The Bayelsa Government on Sunday condemed and emanded an investigation of the attack on an oil services vessel on Friday that left three crewmen comprising two security escorts dead in Ikebiri waterways in the state.

The government said that report at its disposal indicate that a Police officer, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and a civilian crew member in the ill-fated  vessel lost their lives I  the attack.

The government which conveyed its position in a stayement issued by Commisioner for I formatio , Mr Jonathan Obuebite described as criminal act.

Former CPS drums support for Dickson led Bayelsa Govt from Ogbia youths

 The immediate past Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson on Sunday called on youths of Ogbia Local Government to support the governor in his quest to make life more meaningful to them.

According to him, the governor has excelleed in developing human capacity in the state, through his massive investment in education and manpower development.

Iworiso-Markson made the call while delivering a lecture entitled: "Dangers of hard drugs and cultism", as a Special Guest of Honour during the first Ogbia Students Conference with the theme: "Education as the panacea for National Development."

Militants attack oilservices vessel kill 3 crew members in Bayelsa creeks

Barely three weeks after an ambush on a military houseboat that killed two in Southern Ijaw creeks in Bayelsa suspected militants have attacked a tugboat laden with crude oil in the same area and killed three crew members.

Gunmen suspected to be Niger Delta militants had on August 28, 2017 ambushed a housboat operated by the Joint Task Force and killed a soldier and a civillian crew member.

A vessel with a combined team of security escort on board and civilians was attacked on Friday by suspected sea pirates, at Ekebiri Waterways in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

Bioresources Centre Odi in Bayelsa developes capacity to trace stolen crude

The Minister of Science and Technology Dr Ogbonaya Onu, on Friday said the Bioresourses Development Centre at Odi has developed indegenous technology for chemical 'fingerprinting of crude oil'.

Speaking at the inuaguration of the Advanced Bioresources Laboratory and Lvestock Feed Milling Complex, the Minister explained that the facility would assist in tracing the source of stolen crude crude.

Man, 40, bags 8 yearjail term for defiling 4 year old girl and 5 year old boy in Bayelsa

Mr Godbless Abe, who hails from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa was on Wednesdey sentenced to eight years in prison for defiling underage boy and girl.

Chief Magistrate Utovie Spiff who presides at Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Yenagoa in a ruling found the suspect guilty and convicted him on two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse of a four-year-old girl  and unlawful carnal knowledge of a five-year-old boy.

Niger Delta: Dickson wants Ijaw Youths to lead advocacy to end marginalization, environmental pollution

Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa on Monday called on the leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to lead advocacy to end economic marginalization and environmental pollution affecting the Niger Delta region.

He also called on the youth body to collaborate with the state government in addressing the age-long problems of under-development of the Ijaw nation by successive administrations at the federal level.

Dickson, who made the call when the youth body led by its national President, Mr Roland Oweilaemi paid him a courtesy call in Government House, Yenagoa,.

Boroh runs Presidential Amnesty Office in a transparent manner-Official

Mr Jude Gbaboyor, Special Assistant on Social Media to Cordinator of Presidentia, Ammnesty Programme Brig-Gen Paul Boroh (rtd) on Monday reiterated that the Amnesty Office is run transparently in accordance to best practices.

Gbaboyor who represented Boroh in a one day seminar on the use of social media in information dissemination in Yenagoa condemned the use of social media to disseminate falsehood in the guise of whistle blowing.

He dismissed allegations by interest groups sponsored by non performing contractors accusing the amnesty office of lack of transparency in its financial dealings saying that misuse of social media to misinform the people was unfortunate.

The media aide explained  that Boroh has nothing to hide as his hard earned reputation in the military and the United Nations, cannot be dented through blatant lies, intimidation and cheap blackmail on social media by frustrated persons.

Niger Delta Youths berate poor outing at National Council on Niger Delta, urges Buhari to drop Minister

Youths from the Niger Delta region under the auspices of Niger Delta Youth Governance Monitoring Group (NDYGMG) has criticised the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for poor outing at the just concluded National Council on Niger Delta held in Akure Ondo between September 7-14.

NDYGMG in a statement issued by Mr Emmanuel U. Justin, Director of Press Affairs condemned the disharmony between the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani and stakeholders in the Niger Delta region which resulted to poor attendance at the meeting.

They noted that it was regrettable that the Minister in connivance with the Country Director of UNDP in Nigeria Mr Mathew Alao to oppose the participation of youth leaders who were invited to participate in the meeting.

Bayelsa Govt creates over 7, 000 jobs with N1.88bn boost to SMEs in 5 years

Bayelsa government on Thursday said it created  over 7,000 direct and indirect jobs within the past five years through the release of N1.88bn SME loans to entrepreneurs and cooperatives. 

Deputy Governor of the state  Rear Admiral John Jonah  (Rtd) , who represented Gov Seriake Dickson stated this at the 2017 African  SME  EXPO with the theme Promoting SMEs for sustainable development and economic growth,.

 The administration, according to Dickson, achieved the feat in partnership with the Bank of Industry and other relevant agencies to enhance the growth of SMEs with direct impact on the economic growth of the state. 

SPDC, host community differ on cause of oil leak at Bisenim oilfields in Bayelsa

SPDC, host community differ on cause of oil leak at Bisenim oilfields in Bayelsa



The cause of an oil spill at Tambiri I and II in Tein community in Biseni, Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa has sparked off a disagreement between residents and the oil firm operating at the oil fields.

It was gathered that the oil spill incident at an oilfield operated by Shell Petroleum Develppment Company (SPDC) occured on August 11, 2017.

Community sources said on Tuesday that unascertained volume of crude leaked from the oil facility, polluting and impacted the environment of Biseni people who are mainly farmers and fishermen.

An official of Tambiri II Community Development Committee, Clinton Beworu Amaorum said  that the oil spill was caused by equipment failure and has leaked into one of the big Lakes  in the area which supports their fishing occupation.

 "The oil leak discharge very high volume of crude oil into the environment, it is difficult to estimate the volume of oil discharge because the spill occured about one month ago and we hoped that a joint visit to the site with regulators and SPDC will arrive at an estimate.

"Unfortunately the Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) has not taken place as far as we know because it was inconclusive and ended in a stalemate.

"The things that have been affected are aquatic lives, our ponds, Lakes, farmlands, and economic trees. These are some of the things the oil spillage has affected’’, Amaorum said.

Amaorum explained that some representatives of the SPDC and regulators visited the impacted site few days after the incident but engaged in an argument over whether the leakage was due to equipment failure or sabotage.

SPDC officials had maintained that the spill incident  occurred from a well that has not been producing.

Precious Okolobo, SPDC's Media Relations Manager in a statement confirming the leakage said the company started recovery of spilled oil the day after the incident happened but it was disrupted by community people.



"During a joint investigation visit to the impacted area from August 13 to 17 "it was clear that unknown persons had tampered with the well valve.

 "The JIV report has yet to be signed off. The community people have now agreed that SPDC should resume the recovery of spilled oil.

"SPDC will continue to operate with a high sense of responsibility for humans and the environment", Okolobo stated.

Environmental rights group urges Shell to remediate oil leak site in Bayelsa

 The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has urged Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to clean up and remediate an oil leak site from one of its oil fields in Bayelsa

It was gathered that massive volume of crude was discharged into the environment at Tambiri I and II in Tein community, Biseni clan of Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa

 The oil leak occurred on August 11, 2017.

World Physiotherapy Day: Expert stresses need for increased physical activities

 Mr Olugbenga Popoola, the Head of Department of Physiotherapy, Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa, has stressed the need for increased physical activities for healthy living.

Popoola said this during an interview session to commemorate the 2017 World Physiotherapy Day on Friday in Yenagoa.

He said the day was to recognise the role of physiotherapists to their patients and to communities, with “Physical Activity for Life” as its theme for this year.

The head of department, who noted that physiotherapists played important roles in healthy living, especially in ageing, said “including physical activities in one’s lifestyle can make the bones stronger.

Female journalist emerges Labour party candidate in Anambra

Mrs Oluchukwu Ajulufo, a journalist who worked with Ray Power has emerged the governorship candidate of Labour Party for the Nov. 18, governorship election in Anambra.


Ajulufo was nominated by affirmative action and unanimous vote of the 64-man delegate at the primary election in Awka on Saturday.


 Ajulufo is the second female to emerge as governorship candidate after Mrs Kate Okafor of African Conscience Democrat (ACD).

Bayelsa Govt condemns attack on JTF , commiserates with military over death of 2

 The Bayelsa government has condemned  the recent ambush and killing of members of a security patrol team by unknown gunmen around Letugbene community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state.

The armed men suspected to be militants had on August 28 ambushed a security boat operated my the joint military force and killed two crew members, a soldier and a civillian.

Spokesman of the Joint Task Force deployed to the Niger Delta Major Ibrahim Abdullahi had on Friday confirmed the death of a soldier and civillian crew member in the attack.

Bayelsa Govt condemns attack on JTF , commiserates with military over death of 2

 The Bayelsa government has condemned  the recent ambush and killing of members of a security patrol team by unknown gunmen around Letugbene community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state.

The armed men suspected to be militants had on August 28 ambushed a security boat operated my the joint military force and killed two crew members, a soldier and a civillian.

Spokesman of the Joint Task Force deployed to the Niger Delta Major Ibrahim Abdullahi had on Friday confirmed the death of a soldier and civillian crew member in the attack.