Gov Ifranyi Okowa: ‘Sea piracy has reduced in Delta State’

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has pledged his government’s continued partnership with the military and other security agencies to ensure peace and order in the state.

Okowa made the pledge on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 when Maj.-Gen. Olubunmi Irefin, the new General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port-Harcourt, visited him at Government House, Asaba.

He charged the army to sustain the current peace and security in the Niger Delta, adding that the Delta government has enjoyed a robust relationship with security agencies.

According to Okowa, the partnership between the state and security agencies has helped to ensure peace and security of lives and property and has also made Delta an investors’ destination.

“We are happy that sea piracy has reduced in Delta and we pledge the support of the South-South states to ensure protection of oil installations in the region.

“I assure you of our cooperation at all times because we have had very warm working relations with the division since inception.

“The military and other security agencies have worked quite a lot with us to ensure peace within the state. There is still a lot to be done but we have done quite a lot,” he said.

The governor commended the army formations for cooperating with other security agencies to ensure peace in the Niger Delta.

“I appreciate your division, the brigade and other military formations for all your efforts in ensuring peace and security in the entire Niger Delta.

“Sea piracy is still there, but it has largely reduced in Delta and we will continue to work hard and provide the needed support because when there is a perfect working relationship, to support becomes easier.

“Information sharing is necessary to secure our state, and here in Delta, community conflicts are stepped into as quickly as possible because of the various peace mechanisms we have put in place.

“We have had a very good working relationship and we hope to continue in that direction,” he said.

The GOC said that he was in Delta to familiarise himself with the government and people of the state.

He also commended the governor for the tremendous support he has given to 63 Brigade as well as the level of peace and security in the state.

How Police Officers Extorted N1.8 Million From Teenagers Through POS/ Bank In Delta State

ASABA – Delta State Police Com­mand is combing every­where to arrest two police officers attached to AIG Zone 5 Benin, who alleged­ly extorted two teenagers of N1.8 million at gunpoint in Effurun, Delta State.

Trouble started when a Warri-based Human Right Lawyer, Barrister Omes Ogedegbe, alleged on a post on his Facebook page that the teenagers were alleged­ly dragged down from a tri­cycle into a Camry car at gunpoint by the PTI junc­tion last week.

According to him, “This afternoon while I was in the office secretariat, our Delta Central coordinator who doubles as the UPU Youth President, Comrade Umukoro Efemina, came to the office in the company of his vice and two teenage boys whom he directed to narrate their ordeals to me and it was very devas­tating.

“They claimed the both of them were in a tricycle when a Camry car stopped them and dragged them into the car at gunpoint by the PTI junction. They were immediately placed in handcuffs and taken to a POS stand at the Plaza by PTI junction.

“The policemen were only two in number. One took the ATM and the pin of one of them to the POS but the card failed. That he returned and led one of the boys to the POS stand where the boy with the aid of his phone transferred N400, 000 which appears as his limit.

“They moved them to First Bank, Effurun, while one was in handcuff in the car, the police led the other to the bank and transferred N1.4million to the POS la­dy’s account making a total of N1.8million.

“The Delta State CP with zero tolerance for corrup­tion, extortion, robbery and hostage-taking direct­ed the DPO Ebrumede to arrest the POS owner who was taken to the station.

“The boys recalled that while at the Plaza they remembered someone greeted the police and told them he would meet them in their Hotel along the DSC express road. We in­formed the CP about it and proceeded to the hotel with a Senior Police Officer and behold one of the wanted officers was right in front of us.

“The senior police offi­cer with us immediately disarmed him but before he could be arrested he had swiftly scaled the fence and escaped leaving his official rifle behind.

“This case is a terrif­ic and mind bugling. We have done several recover­ies which I enjoy keeping out of the press but I am tempted to make this pub­lic as kidnapping cannot be less defined.”

Attempts by a team of police acting on the direc­tive of the Commissioner to arrest the suspects at their hideout along DSS express road were unsuc­cessful, as one of them escaped leaving his gun behind, assuring that the manhunt continues.

A senior police officer in the state who spoke to us in confidence con­firmed the report saying “Yes we are on their trail, they will not escape jus­tice, the current CP in Del­ta has a zero-tolerance for officers who abuse their position and office.

When contacted to con­firm the report, the Com­missioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, Mr. Hafiz Mohammed Inuwa said he was out of the state and would not want to talk about the issue until fully briefed.

Over 20 persons burnt to death in Delta tanker explosion

rescue

 Tanker fire explosion

At least 20 persons were reportedly burnt to death when a tanker laden with petroleum product exploded around Koko Junction section of the Benin/Saepele Expressway in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The incident, according to sources, occurred around 11:00am on Wednesday.

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Our Correspondent gathered that the tanker burst into flames after it fell into a ditch around Koko and Ologbo axis of the Benin/Sapele expressway in Ethiope West Local Government Area of the State.

Several vehicles on the road were trapped and burnt, a passenger who narrowly escaped the fire incident told newsmen.

It was gathered that the victims were burnt beyond recognition while no fewer than 10 vehicles were gutted by fire.

An eyewitness said she was headed to Sapele from Benin when the Nissan Quest car she drove with other passengers was locked down in the heavy gridlock the incident precipitated on the road.

“The tanker carrying petroleum product was trying to escape a bad spot when it fell and suddenly exploded between Koko Junction and Ologbo section of the Benin/Warri in Delta State.

“The explosion was very devastating, many people were trapped in several vehicles in the inferno.

“At least, 10 passenger vehicles were burnt and no fewer than 20 charred bodies were removed from the vehicles. We were lucky because we got there when fire fighters were already battling the fire.

“Many people were trapped inside the vehicles and it was difficult to rescue them because the fire was really huge,” she said.

As at 3:00pm, officials of Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) were still battling the fire and rescuCorpsvictims.

Herdsmen Allegedly Caught Slaughtering Cow On Farmlands To Incriminate Villagers In Delta State

There was pandemonium on Tuesday morning in Oviri-Olomu, a community in Ughelli South local government area of Delta State when some herdsmen were allegedly caught planting incriminating evidence in a farmland by slaughtering a cow on the land. 

The herdsmen already had a recent case with the residents over the destruction of their farmland which was about to be investigated by the police. 

According to reports on the Guardian newspaper; the herdsmen slaughtered the cow with the intent of making the police to believe the cow was killed by residents of the community.

However, some women in the community protested the activities of the herdsmen in the area, where they accused them of destroying their farmlands and raping their women in their farms. 

While speaking, Mrs Esther Monday, chairperson of Olomu Women and spokeswoman of Oviri-Olomu community, said the women had been complaining about the activities of the herders but nothing was done until it got to the present state. 

“The herders would run to security agencies and the state government to complain that they were being maltreated whereas they were the aggressors,” she said. 

Also, a senior police officer who pleaded anonymity, told The Guardian that trouble started when some Fulani herdsmen wrote petition alleging that their cows were been killed and their houses destroyed. 

Meanwhile, the women promised to carry on agitating and protesting until the government intervened and moved the herdsmen out of their kingdom.