Governors from the South South region on Tuesday, November 24 held a presidential meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Amb. Ibrahim Gambari, at the Rivers Government House, in Port Harcourt, Igbere TV reports.

At the meeting, where some decisions were reached, were Governors Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).

In attendance were: Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta; Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum; Goddy Jedy Agba, Minister of State, Power; Festus Keyamo, Minister of State, for Niger Delta; Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammad.

Others include: The Director General of Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, among other dignitaries. Transportation minister, Rotimi Amaechi, was noticeably absent.

A photo from the meeting, which has since gone viral, however stood out and has got people talking. It captures moment Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, was almost kneeling to greet the President's Chief of Staff.

Igbere TV recalls that Obaseki, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defeated Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of Gambari’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 19 Edo Governorship election to win re-election.

The election was not without any drama as the processes leading to the poll were characterized with both dramas and intrigues which eventually saw Obaseki leaving his former APC party for the PDP where he won re-election.

But despite leaving the APC, rumours were rife that the Presidency worked for Obaseki’s victory. The rumour was further heightened following the congratulatory message from the President to Obaseki even while his Party's candidate was yet to concede defeat.

Despite public comment from the ruling party accepting the outcome, and asking its candidate Ize-Iyamu to do same, Obaseki and the APC candidate are currently in court, with other political parties seeking nullification of the poll and disqualification of Obaseki over alleged certificate forgery.

How best can you caption this photo?

https://igberetvnews.com/1372945/caption-photo-obaseki-gambari-omo-agege/

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44

The Godwin Obaseki-led Edo State Government has kicked against the indefinite postponement of the National Sports Festival (NSF) holding in the state capital.

Igbere TV had reported the suspension of the Sports Festival before it was rescheduled for December 2020, following the easing of COVID19-imposed lockdown.

The National Sports Festival tagged ‘Edo 2020’ was initially scheduled to hold in March but was postponed to December for the first time due to emergence of COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, however, rejected the December 3 new date for commencement of the Festival which was billed to hold in Benin City.

The PTF said it has written to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports and host, the Edo State Government to postpone the much anticipated Festival, for the second time.

Reacting, Chairman, Organising Committee who doubles as the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Phillip Shuaibu, frowned at the turning down of the kick-off date of the Festival which supposed to start on December 5th.

Addressing newsmen in Benin City, the Edo state capital, Phillip said; “How can PTF who approved that we can now start contact sports, the same PTF approves opening of NYSC camps across the country. The same PTF approves that we can all go to churches and mosques. All the market places are opened and you say we can not hold National Sports Festival.

“Now, this is sports where we can control the crowd that comes to the stadium”, he concluded.

Igbere TV recalls that the PTF on COVID-19 lifted ban on contact sports in October, 2020 and that paved the way for the Ministry of Sports and Edo State Government to come up with December 3rd to 18th date for the ‘Edo 2020’ Festival.

With this new development, the much awaited National Sports Festival will no longer hold this year. This will bring up many issues as many States in Nigeria had commenced close camping of their athletes before the announcement on Tuesday.

https://igberetvnews.com/1372889/covid-19-edo-govt-kicks-ptf-postpones-national-sports-festival/

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44

#EndSARS: UK Parliamentarians Propose Sanctions Against Nigerian Officials Involved in Lekki Shooting

The UK parliament on Monday debated a petition seeking to impose sanctions on Nigerian Government officials involved in the killing of peaceful protesters in Lekki on October 20.

For more than an hour, Members of Parliament condemned the violence that erupted at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos and insisted that Nigerian officials should not enjoy in the UK the liberties they deny their citizens at home.

The Minister for Africa was absent from the proceedings but his representative said that he will await the outcome of the judicial panels of inquiries into the shooting.

“Work is underway to consider how a global corruption sanction regime could be added to the government’s armoury,” a representative for the Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, said.

“This government will continue to press the Nigerian government and its security services to uphold human rights and the rule of law, to investigate all incidents of brutality, illegal detentions and the use of excessive force and to hold those responsible to account.

“We will closely monitor the judicial panel of inquiries and continue to advocate for investigations into police brutality. The government will consider its options as the panel’s work progresses.”

A particularly revealing moment came when an MP urged his government to place sanctions on Nigerians who flee to the UK with ill-gotten wealth, citing Nigeria’s former military ruler Yakubu Gowon’s alleged looting of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“We need to stop those who are profiting from the wealth of that great nation and hiding it here. Some people will remember when General Gowon left Nigeria with half the Central Bank, so it is said, and moved to London,” the MP said. “We know that today, even now in this great city of ours, there are sadly some people who have taken from the Nigerian people and hidden their ill-gotten gains here.”

The petition, started by Silas Ojo, garnered more than 220,000 signatories, crossing the 100, 000 mark needed for a petition to be debated by the lawmakers.

Early last month, thousands of Nigerians took to the streets, calling for an end to police brutality and extra-judicial killings by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Protests in Lagos turned bloody on October 20 when soldiers confronted peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll gate and Alausa, killing at least 12 people, according to Amnesty International.

Court Jails Six Foreigners Seven Years For Oil Theft In Port Harcourt

Justice J.K Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced six foreigners and a Nigerian to seven years imprisonment for oil theft.

They were jailed on Monday, November 23, 2020 after three years of diligent prosecution by the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The foreigners are two Pakistanis: Mohammed Ejaz, Nasser Khan; two Ukranians: Oleksandr Nazarenko, Oleksandr Kashernvi; one Ghanaian: Romeo Annang, and one Indonesian: Fredrik Fatin Omenu. Their Nigerian counterpart: David Otuohi bagged same jail term with them.
The convicts were arraigned on Tuesday, 21 November, 2017, alongside three other foreigners and another Nigerian for oil theft. The other three foreigners Victor Mikpayi (Beninois ), Francis Ahorlu and Kwesi Attah( Ghanaians), and Victor Azebiri( Nigerian) were discharged and acquitted by the court.

They were all docked alongside a company: Asztral Shipping Corporation SA, and a Vessel, MT. TECNE( a.k.a MT STAR), on four count charges bordering on conspiracy, dealing in petroleum products without a licence and tampering with oil pipelines.

Count one of the charge read: “that you Victor Azebiri, David Otuhohi, Mohammed Ejaz, Naseer Khan, Oleksandr Nazarenko, Oleksandr Kashernvi, Romeo Annang, Francis Ahorlu, Kwesi Attah, Victor Mikpayi, Frederik Fatin Omenu, Astral Shipping Corporation SA, MT TECNE a.k.a MT STAR (Vessel), Peter Ala (at large), David Ogoma, a.k.a Ambassador (at large) and others now at large, on or about the 20th and/or 25th day of April, 2017 at Escravos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: distribute, deal in, or with petroleum product without appropriate licence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and Punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act”.

Another count charge read “that you Victor Azebiri, David Otuhohi, Mohammed Ejaz, Naseer Khan, Oleksandr Nazarenko, Oleksandr Kashernvi, Romeo Annang, Francis Ahorlu, Kwesi Attah, Victor Mikpayi, Frederik Fatin Omenu, Astral Shipping Corporation SA, MT TECNE a.k.a MT STAR (Vessel), Peter Ala (At large), David Ogoma, a.k.a Ambassador (at large) and others now at large, on or about the 25th day of April, 2017 at Escravos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did without appropriate authority or licence distribute, deal in, or with petroleum product to wit:1905.836 cubic litres of crude oil conveyed in a vessel christened “MT TECNE” (VESSEL) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(17) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and Punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act”.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Their pleas prepared grounds for their trial by the EFCC, whcih for three years presented evidence and witnesses that testified against the defendants in court.

In his judgment on Monday, Justice Omotosho found the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 11th defendants guilty of all the four- count charges and sentenced them to seven years imprisonment with an option of fine of N2,000,000( Two Million Naira only) each, while the 1st, 8th, 9th and 10th defendants were discharged and acquitted on the ground that " they were not linked to the commission of the crime". The sentences run concurrently from their date of arraignment.

The company involved in the crime: Asztral Shipping Corporation SA was wound up by the court while the vessel carrying the offensive crude oil: MT TECNE , a.k.a MT STAR( Vessel) was forfeited to the Federal Government.
The suspected oil thieves ran into troubled waters when their ship was intercepted by the NNS DELTA on 25 April, 2017 at Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Afremo ‘A’ Terminal, South East of Escravos in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, for illegal loading of petroleum products suspected to be crude oil. The crew members connived with Victor Azeberi (the 1st defendant); one Peter Ala and David Ogoma (AKA) Ambassador, who are now at large, to siphon about 1905.836 cubic litres of crude oil. The ship had no clearance from relevant Nigerian maritime agencies to navigate in Nigerian waters and all the foreign crew on board the ship had no valid documents to enter Nigeria.

Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has felicitated with member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, on the occasion of her 51st  birthday anniversary.

In a goodwill message personally signed by the Senator, forwarded to Igbere TV, Onyejeocha was described as a “thoroughbred lawmaker and progressive politician”, ”whose political disposition is worthy of emulation.”

The former governor of Abia commended the  lawmaker for “demonstrating exemplary leadership and commitment to the ideals of democracy and development” in her constituency.

“On behalf of my family and the good people of Abia North Senatorial zone, I felicitate with a worthy daughter of Abia, Rt. Hon Nkeiru Onyejeocha who turns 51 today,” he said.

“I join family, relatives, political associates and wellwishers to thank God for her life that has been filled with laudable achievements and accomplishments,” Kalu added.

“Rt Hon. Onyejeocha is a thoroughbred lawmaker and astute politician whose political and leadership disposition is worthy of emulation. She has demonstrated exemplary leadership and commitment to the ideals of democracy and development as she continues to represent Isuikwuato/Umunneochi  Federal Constituency.

“On this occasion of her  birthday, we thank her for her service to Abia and its people and her  contributions to the development of the State.

“I pray Almighty God to continue to keep her in good health and bless her with many more years of robust service to the people and humanity in general”, the statement added.

https://igberetvnews.com/1372696/sen-orji-kalu-felicitates-rep-member-onyejeocha-51/

President of the Ivory Coast Football Federation, Augustin Sidy Diallo, has died from coronavirus complications.

Igbere TV reports that the 61-year old has been at the helm of football in the West African country since September 2011.

Born June 18, 1959, the late Ivory Coast football federation president was aged 61.

Diallo died on Saturday(today) after having recently tested positive for coronavirus.

He had not accompanied the group during the two qualifying matches for CAN 2022 against Madagascar during the international break.

Officials said he did not appear to be showing any worrying signs, but his condition deteriorated and he was forced to be hospitalized for respiratory complications.

https://igberetvnews.com/1372493/breaking-ivory-coast-football-president-dies-covid-19/

Details later...

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44

The Department of State Security (DSS) says the security agent who shot dead a newspaper vendor in Abuja, is one of their operatives, and not a police officer as being speculated.

This is coming barely 24 hours after the police denied the officer, who was attached to the convoy of the Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Igbere TV had on Thursday reported the fatal shooting of a newspaper vendor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okereke, a situation which gave rise to protest by his colleagues the following day, in Abuja.

The incident occurred at the Three Arms Zone when the convoy of the speaker made a stop-over (on his way from work) to exchange pleasantries with the vendors in his usual style.

In his response, while condoling with family of the deceased, Gbajabiamila said the aide had been suspended and handed over to DSS for investigation, pledging support for the family.

In a statement forwarded to Igbere TV Friday night, spokesman for the DSS, Peter Afunanya, said the culprit is one of its personnel deployed to the Speaker as a security detail.

The spokesman said as already stated by Gbajabiamila, the officer, Abdullahi M. Hassan, has been suspended.

Afunanya confirmed that as part of disciplinary procedures, he has been taken into detention.

He added that DSS has opened a detailed investigation into the matter and assured of a transparent and accountable probe.

“The Service condoles with the family of the deceased and his loved ones. It has promised a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident and will surely keep to this”, the statement added.

https://igberetvnews.com/1372439/gbajabiamila-dss-official-shot-newspaper-vendor-police-official/

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has again imposed 10pm to 6am curfew across the state to checkmate the rising level of insecurity in Edo State, Igbere TV reports.

This is even as the governor urged security agencies in the state to check the activities of hoodlums and criminals following the hijack of the #EndSARS protests in the state.

Obaseki spoke on Friday when he received the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Anthony Bamidele Omozoje, at the Government House, Benin City.

Igbere TV reports that the visit was to inform the governor on plans by the military to embark on a seven-day heightened security operation to fish out criminal elements in the state.

The governor who thanked the Chief of Army Staff and other senior security officers for refusing to be compromised and ensured that Edo had a free, fair and credible election, said their actions have saved and sustained democracy in the State and Nigeria.

Obaseki said: “We have a subsisting curfew in Edo, which is being breached. To support your seven-day heightened security effort, we are reinforcing the curfew from 10pm to 6am daily. The town should be on lockdown and anyone found outside within this period should be dealt with according to the law.”

The governor said during the #ENDSARS protest, Edo was a hotspot, as hoodlums took advantage of the heightened anxieties surrounding the September 19 governorship election to cause mayhem.

Obaseki, who assured of the government’s support, thanked the commanding officer for the moves made, which he said would ensure normalcy is restored in the State ahead of the yuletide season.

He noted: "We will increase consultations with various stakeholders, traditional rulers, youth groups and religious leaders over the seven-day operation to sensitize them and solicit for their support, cooperation and information to help rearrest the fleeing inmates from our correctional centers.

"We have their data and we would commence flashing their names and pictures on social media, television stations and other media platforms. We would release hotlines for citizens to call and give vital information to security agencies, especially information on those that have arms and ammunition in their custody".

Speaking earlier, Major Omozoje said he is in the state to collaborate with other sister security agencies to see how to consolidate on the gains being made in curbing the rate of criminality witnessed after the EndSARS protests.

"We need to go actively after these criminals in order not to give them the liberty to operate. The seven days heightened security operation will involve all security agencies to arrest criminals and recover arms and ammunition.”

He said the operation has been carried out in Osun, Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti and now Edo State, adding, “We would establish fixed check points at very critical locations within the City.

"After the operation, an evaluation will be carried out to know the level of success. We have men in Ibadan and Akure who are ready re-enforce our effort, if need be.

On Friday, suspected bandits abducted an Abuja-bound bus belonging to a popular transport company with 14 passengers in the state along the Benin - Ekpoma Expressway.

Same day, a 400 level female medical student of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma was abducted alongside chairman of Esan Central local government council.

All kidnap victims have however been released, following the alleged payment of N9 million ransom by owners of the transport company, with the diver said to have been shot dead.

Ekpekaycee:
A professor as a local government council chairman? So the quest for power can make a whole Prof. to stoop so low? Anyway, I pray he regains his freedom and also his freedom from political captivity.

The alarming level of insecurity in Edo state worsened on Friday, with the kidnapping of Chairman of the Esan Central Local Government Council, Prof. Waziri Edokpa.

Although details of the kidnapping are still sketchy, Igbere TV gathered that the council boss was taken away by unknown gunmen with contact yet to be established with the family.

Similarly, a bus filled with passengers belonging to a popular transport company in the state (name withheld), was said to have been equally abducted.

Both incidents happened along the popular Benin - Ekpoma Expressway which has, in recent time, become a 'safe haven' for kidnappers and armed bandits.

Only today, a 400-level female medial student of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, was kidnapped on the same road with her abductors demanding for N7 million ransom.

Commenting on the incident, a crime reporter in the state, Mr Festus Alenkhe, said, "attention has now shifted to all major express roads linking Benin city as suspected bandits are now unleashing mayhem on innocents travellers on the various routes."

Meanwhile, Igbere TV gathered that all passengers of the transport company traveling to Abuja from Benin were kidnapped and the driver reportedly killed.

As at press time, the whereabouts of all the kidnapped passenger-victims - including the council chairman - are unknown.

When contacted, spokesman for the Edo state police command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, said the police was yet to be briefed on the incident.

“We have not been briefed (yet), the command is not aware of such development, once I am briefed, I will let you know,” the police spokesman said on phone, Friday afternoon.

Igbere TV, however, gathered that local government council chairmen from Edo South are presently in a closed-door meeting with the commissioner of police, Johnson Babatunde Kokumo.

“The security meeting is aimed at finding a lasting solution to the current increase in crime rate in the state”, a source at the meeting disclosed.

The people are now appealing to the police authority and state government to deploy the mobile policemen recently posted to Edo state.

Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has formally handed over to the Department of State Security (DSS), the escort in his convoy who allegedly shot a newspaper vendor dead in Abuja.

Igbere TV had on Thursday reported how a security operative attached to the speaker's convoy allegedly opened fire and shot dead an unarmed man, Mr. Ifeanyi Okereke.

Confirming the incident late night, Gbajabiamila said his convoy made a stop-over to exchange pleasantries with newspaper vendors as it was his usual practice at the close of work every day.

He said some "unidentified men" made attempt to obstruct his convoy when it set out to continue the journey, which made the escort shoot into the air to disperse them, with no death recorded.

According to Gbajabiamila, he later learned [after arriving his destination] that "someone" (the newspaper vendor) was hit by a stray bullet from the shooting by his escort.

In another statement forwarded to Igbere TV Friday afternoon, Gbajabiamila confirmed the security agent had been handed over to the DSS for investigation.

“I have handed over the security operative, Abdullahi M. Hassan, to the Department of State Security (DSS) for investigation and appropriate administrative and judicial action.”

The speaker further revealed that the security operative has been suspended from the convoy, in the interim.

“The unfortunate death of Mr. Ifeanyi Okereke at the hands of one of my security aides has left me deeply shaken.

“Mr. Okereke was a citizen going about his business, trying to make a living for himself and his family. There is no reason for his life to have ended the way it did,” he said.

Pledging to support the deceased family and promising justice for the deceased, the Reps speaker revealed he was meeting with the family.

“I expect, and I will see to it that the family of Mr Ifeanyi Okereke receives the full measure of justice so that their bereavement is not compounded by any actions that can cause them further pain and suffering.

“I have expressed my personal condolence to his family and have arranged to meet with them when the parents of Mr. Okereke, who are already on their way arrive in Abuja.

“Additionally, I have committed to them that I will support his wife and the immediate family he has left behind.”

While commiserating with the family of Mr. Ifeanyi Okereke, Gbajabiamila asked all Nigerians to “join me at this time to pray for the peaceful repose of his soul.”

https://igberetvnews.com/1372365/killing-gbajabiamila-hand-escort-dss-pledge-support-deceased-family/

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44

A fourth-year medical student of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, in Edo State, Miss Oghogho Christiana, has allegedly been kidnapped.

CAMPUS GIST gathered that Christiana was kidnapped along the Benin-Auchi road, Thursday evening.

President of the AAU Student Union Government, Mr. Osamagbe, confirmed the development in his post on social media.

A family member of the kidnap victim, who craved anonymity, also collaborated the report.

The source claimed the kidnappers have made contact and presently demanding N7 million ransom.

Checks by CAMPUS GIST on Christiana's WhatsApp status suggests she was kidnapped on her way to Ekpoma, near Benin City.

The post, which reads 4:12pm(yesterday), revealed she was to deliver starch and banga - which she deals on - to some customers.

Our AAU correspondent, who spoke to Christina's mother, reports that the victim's mother confirmed the development.

The mother said the kidnappers are demanding the sum of N7 million to release her daughter, adding that today(Friday) is the "last day" for payment.

Efforts to reach the AAU management via the Public Relations Officer, proved abortive. It was however gathered that course mates of the kidnap victim are trying to raise some funds.

Contacted, spokesman for the Edo State Police command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, said the police has not been briefed.

“We have not been briefed, the command is not aware of such development, once I am briefed, I will let you know,” the Police PRO said on phone.

Christian's kidnap is coming barely one month a student of the school was allegedly abducted on same Benin-Auchi road. The story, however, turned out be false much later.

Details later...

https://campusgist.com.ng/2020/11/20/400l-female-student-kidnapped-in-edo-n7m-ransom-demanded/

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44