The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, on Thursday ordered policemen attached to the bomb and anti-terrorism squads to comb Oghara, the hometown of former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan’s one-day visit to the state.


Our correspondent learnt that the IG gave the order during a meeting with the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (Zone 5), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja. The IG had invited Abubakar for a discussion on security arrangements for the President’s visit, scheduled for Saturday (tomorrow). Jonathan is scheduled to visit Oghara to inaugurate two projects.


Although the state government had initiated steps to pacify the people of Oghara, who were aggrieved over the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s hunt for Ibori, it was feared that some recalcitrant members of the community might embark on protests, to embarrass Jonathan.


The EFCC had declared on April 13, 2010 declared Ibori wanted for alleged official corruption and money laundering. Ibori, who is on exile in Dubai, was declared wanted on the basis of a petition by the Delta State Elders Leaders and Stakeholders Forum to the EFCC.


Abubakar, who confirmed that he was in Abuja for a meeting with the IG on Thursday, further told our correspondent on the telephone that the IG had directed him to mobilise policemen from Bayelsa and Edo states’ commands to Delta State to complement the existing personnel in the area.


Abubakar added, “All necessary security arrangements have been made in respect of the visit of the President to Delta State, especially Oghara. Bomb experts and the anti-terrorism squad have been sent to Oghara on the order of the IG. They were directed to comb the whole area (Oghara) and even the surrounding communities.


“The IG has also directed that policemen be moved from Bayelsa and Edo states to complement the efforts of the Delta State Police Command. I cannot volunteer the actual number of policemen that we are going to deploy for the visit because that is a security matter; but the deployment, especially in Oghara, is massive.”


Meanwhile, leaders of the Urhobo ethnic nationality in Delta State on Thursday said the projects Jonathan would inaugurate were inherited by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan from Ibori, adding that the present administration had not executed any meaningful project to warrant inviting the President to the state.


The Urhobo elders, under the aegis of Delta Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders Forum, spoke at a news conference in Warri.


The group in the address signed by Chief Patrick Ideh; Chief Godwin Ogbetuo; Mr. Sam Kowho; Chief Atuyota Ejughemre; and Chief Tito Kedo, described the projects, especially the headquarters of the Nigerian Navy Logistics Command, as a misplacement of priority by the state government.











They alleged that the Delta State University Teaching Hospital was sited at a wrong location, to serve the personal interest of the former governor.


The group in the address signed by Chief Patrick Ideh; Chief Godwin Ogbetuo; Mr. Sam Kowho; Chief Atuyota Ejughemre; and Chief Tito Kedo, said it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to build and equip naval formations. The Delta leaders commended Jonathan for his war against corruption and electoral fraud and urged him not to relent or succumb to intimidation.


“Since the administration, no meaningful project has been undertaken in the state. The projects to be inaugurated by the President are old projects done by an earlier administration. The commissioning of Olomu Bridge, Okpare, which attracted hostile reaction from the people, is one of such projects,” the group added.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201006181093362

delta state, wahala state

Delta people listen to the voice of elder s" YOU NEED TO BE PATIENCE IN ORDER TO GET GOODLUCK"

na wa o make God help us in this country

chai

Hmmmmm, So nigeria get bomb squad

I hope the bomb squad is bribery proof, so that they can effectively do their job?

the FG has just opened another can of worms! Plus they are just going to agrivate an already angry people, these guys dont realize whom they are dealing with

is this visit part of the take over campeign since jonathan has forced ibori out of the country?
jonathan must learn to thread with caution.
to u jonathan, LET MY PEOPLE GO.
remember what happened to pharoh when he refused to let the ppl of isreal go back to their promised land.
the biafrans want to go and now u jonathan is our pharoh.
i wish u luck jonathan but if only u will mind aso rock and leave delta for ibori tpo avoid clash of interest now or in future.

chidichris:

is this visit part of the take over campeign since jonathan has forced ibori out of the country?
jonathan must learn to thread with caution.
to u jonathan, LET MY PEOPLE GO.
remember what happened to pharoh when he refused to let the ppl of isreal go back to their promised land.
the biafrans want to go and now u jonathan is our pharoh.
i wish u luck jonathan but if only u will mind aso rock and leave delta for ibori tpo avoid clash of interest now or in future.

This is the problem we have in Nigeria, People dont know where to pul the breaks,lets just wait and see what happens,can you immagine police going fru people's hood in Oghara? anyway God help them

See nigeria see bomb squad.

bomb squad?
maybe the reporter is trying to say banger/knockout experts

[b][/b]must the IG shout on his boys before they do their job.what the hell is wrong with those undertakers.

booomb? heheheh them want to provoke militants be that

segan:

delta state, wahala state

Delta wahala be small thing when compared with ekiti,oyo, or ogun wahala

oweniwe:

Delta wahala be small thing when compared with ekiti,oyo, or ogun wahala

Guy at least the whole world knows why Delta is a wahala state, but we no know why the aboved mention state get wahala.

'@Joe50
what gives you the impresion that there are militants in Oghara, lol there are none,they are just natural sturboen group of people. plus xtreemly agressive.

RICHIE BOI:


Meanwhile, leaders of the Urhobo ethnic nationality in Delta State on Thursday said the projects Jonathan would inaugurate were inherited by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan from Ibori, adding that the present administration had not executed any meaningful project to warrant inviting the President to the state.

The Urhobo elders, under the aegis of Delta Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders Forum, spoke at a news conference in Warri.

The group in the address signed by Chief Patrick Ideh; Chief Godwin Ogbetuo; Mr. Sam Kowho; Chief Atuyota Ejughemre; and Chief Tito Kedo, described the projects, especially the headquarters of the Nigerian Navy Logistics Command, as a misplacement of priority by the state government.

They alleged that the Delta State University Teaching Hospital was sited at a wrong location, to serve the personal interest of the former governor.

The group in the address signed by Chief Patrick Ideh; Chief Godwin Ogbetuo; Mr. Sam Kowho; Chief Atuyota Ejughemre; and Chief Tito Kedo, said it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to build and equip naval formations. The Delta leaders commended Jonathan for his war against corruption and electoral fraud and urged him not to relent or succumb to intimidation.

“Since the administration, no meaningful project has been undertaken in the state. The projects to be inaugurated by the President are old projects done by an earlier administration. The commissioning of Olomu Bridge, Okpare, which attracted hostile reaction from the people, is one of such projects,” the group added.

What makes these people leaders of Urhobo ethnic nationality. people just ascribe titles to themselves.
The Naval headquarter was built as a condition to make the Naval vacate the Sapele Port. how can dismissing the Navy from the sapele port be called misplaced priority when the 4 ports in Delta state has been made idle by policies of the FG. Think of the jobs that we be created if the sapele port would work the way it used to work before it was confisticated by the navy. People just talk rubbish to get political relevance

@ogb5
I tire oh my brother, people just chat crap,Moving the NAVAL base from NNS Uriapele to Oghara was a smart move,so them people calling themselves Urohbo leaders aint got a clue, infact we dont know them

i love my hometown 'oghara' - home of the brave and talented.

Mehn, the ting tire me o.  Where all these so called elders dey since?

No mind those stupid idiots

i don't see delta state as a wahala state rather what i see is invaders.
the fg is hell bent on taking over ibori's shares of the national cake.
jonathan must learn to tread with caution.