2019 Elections: INEC probes officials in Bayelsa Office, redeploys Admin Secretary

A joint investigation into the activities of some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  involved in 2019 general elections in Bayelsa is underway.

It was learnt that the investigation by security agencies in collaboration with INEC National headquarters has resulted shakeup and redeployment of affected officers at INEC Office in Bayelsa.

The investigation is sequel to various petitions by aggrieved candidates and political parties in the 2019 general elections alleging that officials of INEC in Bayelsa especially the Administrative Secretary worked for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), deploying known party members to work as returning officers in the polls.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Mr Monday Tom Udoh was interrogated by the Police and subsequently summoned to INEC headquarters in Abuja

Experts urge President Buhari to decline assent to revised Biosafety Act

A coalition of civil society advocates led by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), on Monday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to decline assent to the reviewd Biosafety Act of 2015.

The recently passed Bill for an Act to amend the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act, 2015 seeks to enlarge the scope of the application and include definitions of other evolving aspects of modern biotechnology in Nigeria.

The coalition comprising GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance and over 40 Non-Governmental Organizations representing millions of Nigerians warned that the law would expose the population to possible health hazards.

According to the groups, including these evolving aspects of biotechnology in the NBMA Act will open up the country to more dangerous experimentations on aspects of the highly controversial technology.

Anglican Clergy re-echoes need for Nigerians to live above religious, ethnic considerations

A cleric, Ven Louis Ogarabe, the Cathedral Administrator, Anglican Cathedral Church of St Peter, Umuokanne, Imo State has re-echoed the need for Nigerians to live above religious and ethnic considerations.

Ogarabe made the assertion on Saturday in Umuokanne, near Owerri in his homily at the funeral mass in honour of late Mrs Josephine Iheanacho, mother to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Emeka Iheanacho,Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Nigerian Police Force, Zone 5.

Taking his message from James 4 verses 13 to 17, he said that Nigerians irrespective of religion and ethnicity owe it as a responsibility to one another to consciously live as brothers and sisters and eschew bitterness, rancour, jealousy and hatred just as the early Christians in the bible days did.

Edo APC Political Pressure Group vows to resist attempt to destroy party.

 A Political Pressure Group in the Edo Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC),  the Edo People's Movement (EPM) has vowed to resist all attempt by any individual to hijack and destroy the party.

The Group who met in Benin on Saturday said they were committed and resolute in rescuing and salvaging the party in the State from imminent collapse.

Kidnappers abduct Niger Delta University Don’s wife in Yenagoa

Unidentified gunmen suspected to be kidnappera on Sunday at Gbarantoru, Yenagoa abducted the wife of lecturer working with the Niger Delta University, NDU. 

It was gathered from community sources that the lecturers escaped and hid himself when the incident occurred in the early hours at about 2am and exposed his wife to danger. . 

Residents in the area said that sporadic shots of gunfire were fired to announce arrival of the hoodlums to scare people in the community.

The gunmen reportedly entered the community through the River Nun in a speedboat boat and headed to the residence of their target, a University Teacher identified simply as Dr. Charles.

Aiteo pledges N500 m support to Bayelsa Education fund laments frequent vandalism on NCTL

The Management of Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production  Company on Friday bemoaned frequent sabotage on the 97 kilometer, Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL) linking its oilfields in Bayelsa to the Bonny Export Terminal.

Mr Victor Okoronkwo, Managing Director of Aiteo expressed the concerns of the oil firm during a fund raising ceremony for the Bayelsa Educational Development Trust Fund (BEDTF) in Yenagoa.

It will be recalled that the 150,000 barrels per day export pipeline which evacuates crude oil from Bayelsa for export has been shut down intermittently for three times since March and is currently shut due to breach on April 21 which led to death of six vandals.

Oil spills: Bayelsa communities accuse regulators of complicity with IOCs

Communities impacted by oil spills in Bayelsa on Thursday accused the regulatory agencies in the oil sector of connivance with International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the destruction of their environment. 

The agencies are, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

Four communities impacted by  oil spills are - Babragbene, Lasukugbene and Oyeregbene in Southern Ijaw and Mbikiba in Brass local government areas