DOCTORS across the country can now treat gun shot wounds without first requesting for a police report before commencing treatment on any victim.

This was made known by Senator Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate).

He made this known to State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday while stating that President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017 into law alongside other five bills.

The five other bills are the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment) Amendment Act, 2017; the Anti-Torture Act 2017; the Federal Capital Appropriation Act; the Federal Capital Territory Water Board (Establishment) Act 2017; and the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (Establishment) Act 2017.

Enang stated that the Gunshot Act specifically stipulates that a person with gunshot shall be received for immediate and adequate treatment by any hospital in Nigeria with or without initial monetary deposit.

A person with gunshot wound shall not be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment or torture by any person or authority, including the police and other security agencies,” he explained.

On Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment) Amendment Act, 2017, Enang said the NDDC Act also included the gas producing and gas processing companies in the list of agencies that were contributing to the Niger Delta Development Commission, in addition to oil companies to increase funding of the commission for effective discharge of its duties.

He added that “previously, the NDDC Act excluded gas companies. The Act makes it explicit that gas companies have to be included.

“This is to diversify sources of funding for the NDDC for the economic wellbeing of the region.’’

On the Anti-Torture Act, he said it makes comprehensive provisions for penalising acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, and prescribes penalties for the commission of such acts.

On the Federal Capital Appropriation Act, the president’s aide explained that the Act authourised the Federal Capital Territory Administration to legally and legitimately provide funds out of its Statutory Revenue Fund for recurrent and capital expenditure.

On the Federal Capital Territory Water Board Establishment Act, he noted that the act was charged with the responsibility of providing safe, adequate and affordable water to
FCT residents.

The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (Establishment) Act, 2017, he said is to provide national direction in cancer research, control and treatment; guide scientific improvements to cancer prevention, treatment and care, coordinate and liaise between the wide range of groups and health care providers with an interest in cancer.

“The six Acts have come into effect as laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’’

lalasticlala

AN ultimatum to release $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account for the Niger Delta region to tackle developmental challenges has been given to the federal government.

Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, a coalition of nine militant groups issued the ultimatum in an open letter written to President Muhammad Buhari.

They based their demand on the recent approval of the release of $1 billion to fight insurgency in the North East.

They threatened to resume hostilities on oil installation if the Federal Government fails to accede to their request.

Major General Johnmark Ezonbi, aka Obama, on behalf of the group said: “We demand our own share of the $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account for the development of the Niger Delta within four weeks.

“We will ensure that anything that stands on our way will be crushed without mercy. All foreign nationals are hereby advised to leave the region as all our unit commanders have put on red alert to resume operation zero oil production on the expiration of the four weeks ultimatum.

“The governors of the South -South will not be spared for being part of that decision to approve $1bn to combat insurgency, while our region suffers. The golden hen that lays the egg has nothing to show for what she gives.

“We want to warn the Federal Government not to take the current ceasefire, which the country is enjoying with the daily crude oil production of between 2.2 to 2.4million barrels of crude production amounting to billions of naira on daily basis for government and which has helped the country get out of recession for granted.

EKITI State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign as Minister of Petroleum over persistent fuel scarcity in the country.

Fayose made the call through his Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka on Friday.

“Already, fuel is being sold officially at between N180 and N200 at petrol stations across the country.

“It is sad that this Buhari’s APC government had to choose this Christmas and New Year period to ground Nigeria with the fuel scarcity that it deliberately orchestrated.

“It is obvious that the president has failed in all ramifications and he needs to do Nigerians a favour by relinquishing the portfolio of minister of petroleum.

“Like I said a few days ago, what the federal government is doing is to create scarcity so that Nigerians will be willing to buy at any price, provided the product is made available.

“It was to achieve this planned increment of petrol pump price that they restricted supply of petrol to NNPC alone,” Mr. Fayose said.

FROM all indications, today’s governorship election in Anambra was a straight fight between the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as early results at the various polling units showed the two parties dominating lead in the results with most of the other 35 parties that entered for the election scoring zero.

APGA was leading with APC trailing behind while the PDP in some of the places failed to clinch a vote.

The election have thrown up a new trend where political leaders in the state were able to deliver their polling units irrespective of their political parties.

The trend saw the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winning in Agulu Ward 2 polling unit 19, Amatutu of former Governor Peter Obi; APC winning in Prince Arthur Eze’s Ukpo Ward 1, Ekwueme Hall polling units and also in Nkwoide Ward 1, Alor of Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Nigeria.

However, the political leaders of the APC and PDP had great challenges trying to deliver their wards and polling units as APGA gave them good run in their strongholds.

Governor Willie Obiano who voted at his Eri Aguleri polling centre at 9:47am said that he was impressed by the large turnout of voters across the state.

He noted that the election was peaceful, saying that he was sure of a landslide victory at the end of the day.

He disclosed that as he tried to vote the card reader could not verify his fingerprint which he said was later rectified.

At Otolo Ward 1 in Nnewi North local government area when the counting of votes began, there was pandemonium as an APC agent tried to snatch the ballot box when he noticed that APGA was leading in the results, reports Sun Newspaper.

At Umudim Ward 2 Nnewi, where the widow of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Ambassador Ojukwu voted, APGA swept the polls, dusting the APC that had earlier in the week received Ojukwu’s son, Emeka, to its fold.

Former Ohanaeze President General, Dr Dozie Ikedife, whose son is the running mate of Tony Nwoye of the APC, said that the election was peaceful and turnout impressive and was no way affected by the persuasion of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB ) for the people of Anambra State to boycott the election.

The reason this election is holding today and not in 2019 with those of most other states is rooted in the controversial nature of Anambra politics.

THE governorship candidate of Democratic Peoples Congress, DPC, Yul Edochie, in today’s governorship election in Anambra State has denied a viral video circulating online that he has stepped down from the race and endorsed the incumbent governor, Willie Obiano.

He is the son of veteran Nollywood actor, Pet Edochie.

He debunked the news via his verified twitter handle, @Yuledochie.

He also asked that the viral video be taken down by those who published it, apologise or be sued.

lalasticlala

FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has hit back at the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Farida Waziri, for claiming that she was sacked because she refused to back down on a suspect during the oil subsidy scandal.

Waziri had in an interview with journalist recently in Lagos reacted to revelation of alleged grand corruption that took place under the Jonathan’s administration.


“I’m only glad that those things didn’t happen under my watch as the EFCC Chairman because it would have been too traumatic for me.

“And that is why if I see President Jonathan today, I will kneel down to thank him for the honour done me by removing me as the EFCC Chairman at the time he did” she said.

“My first strong premonition of what was ahead was when I began the probe of the monumental oil subsidy fraud going on then”.

“I came to Lagos on a vital intelligence on the subsidy scam and as soon as I arrested a key culprit, I got a call from the Presidential Villa asking me to release the suspect, because, in their words, ‘he is our person’, but I refused to let him off and days after, I was removed from office”.

Responding, Jonathan said Waziri told lies by making such claims.

He reacted through his verified twitter handle @GEJonathan.

The former president who said crime has no statute bar challenged Waziri to name the person or the company she was investigating when she was stopped.

Jonathan said if the former EFCC boss failed to do so, she was simply hired to attack his personality.

THE World Bank’s $500 million loan which the ministry of finance seeks approval to access will be used in empowering the poor in the country.

Appearing before the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, the ministry through it permanent secretary, Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, said the projects for which the loan is requested will improve the living conditions of the poor.

The programme tagged, ‘Social Safety Net’ will be funded in partnership with the World Bank and the International Development Association, IDA, he said.

The chairman of the committee, Shehu Sani, Kaduna-APC, had sought explanation from Isa-Dutse on how the loan would be sourced, utilised and serviced.

“We want to know what that money will be used for, how it is going to be repaid. We want to have the details of the impact if eventually the approval is granted for you to source the money.

“From the name attached to it, ‘Social Safety Net,’ we believe that it is about the people, it is about the country. But if such money will be sourced from the World Bank, we’ll like clarifications to how that money will be able to ‘service itself’, ” Sani said.

Responding, the permanent secretary explained that the loan conditions are favourable and would benefit the country in the long run.

“The project itself costs more than that. It is about $1.8 billion and the $500million is the World Bank contribution. We went to the concessionary arm of the International Development Association which gives the softest terms. The maturity term of the loan is 25 years, inclusive of a grace period of five years. So, we won’t start to pay until after five years. The interest rate is 1.25 per cent it comes with a service charge of 0.75 per cent and a commitment charge of 0.5 per cent.”

He said that the social programmes such as the safety net would bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.

“The main objective of the project is to provide social safety net. We are a large population and close to one-third of that population is living below the poverty line which translates to about close to 60 million Nigerians.

“As a country, we have very skewed income distribution. A study has shown that up to 25 per cent of the population own more than 50 per cent the total money. It’s one of the most skewed income distribution in the continent.

“Government doesn’t need to leave everything to the market forces. Study shows that when government targets the poorest in the society to make the living condition better in terms of education, health, water, it actually assists in economic development.”

On process of accessing the loan, he said that the commissions charged with the responsibility will collate data of vulnerable Nigerians so as to identify those eligible for the loan.

He added that the projects would be made accessible to state governments provided they meet conditions set by the Federal Government.

“It’s not just ‘dashing’ of money, conditions are set. For instance, a family can be told, we’ll give you such an amount provided you put your kids in school. Or register for immunisation.

“The project will target poor households in Nigeria, identify ‘square combinations’ of geographical and community based targets included in that national social register. The programme will expand gradually to cover 4 million households. Part of the loan will be used to develop the capacity to identify meaningfully those that are poor that need to be assisted.

“All the 36 states, including the FCT, are eligible. Although conditions will be set, states will be free to apply provided they satisfy the conditions and sign a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Government.”

Isa-Dutse noted that the Finance Ministry is only charged with responsibility of securing the loan while the two commissions charged with implementation are under the office of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

He added that the commissions are in the right position to offer more details on implementation of the projects.

Lalasticlala

THE Actual whistle-blower of the uncovered $43 million, N23 million and £27,000 stashed in an apartment at 16, Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos is unknown.

Already, nine individuals have stepped forward to claim the reward, PRNigeria reports.

On Sunday, Finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, said the whistleblower would soon be paid after the later threatened to drag the government to court for refusing to pay him his entitlement.

The whistleblower policy was introduced in December 2016 by the Federal Government as part of the initiatives to wage war against corruption.

Under the policy, the individual who gives information is entitled to between 2.5 percent and 5 percent of any recovered loot.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered the money on April 13, 2017.

Regardless, three people have fired a petition to the Attorney General of the Federation, Shehu Abubakar Malami, where they alleged that some EFCC officials are attempting to shortchange them by introducing those who were not among the informants.

The petitioners said Head of EFCC Operations, Samaila Muhammed, told them that the number of whistleblowers had increased to nine.

The petitioners weren’t named, neither was their counsel, said PRNigeria.

The petitioners are heading to court to stop payment of commission to those they described as “wrong persons.”

They claimed that the people listed to collect the commission knew nothing about the deal and are angry that two months after the petition was submitted to the AGF, nothing concrete has been done.

“Our clients informed us sometime in December 2016 that three of them voluntarily walked into the office of the EFCC at 15A, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and gave vital information that led to the recovery of over N13 billion at Ikoyi Towers, Lagos.

“Upon subsequent visit, to give detailed information as required by the commission to raid the tower, they were told if the operation was successful, five percent of the amount recovered would be their take-home; within 72 hours of recovery. They were also cautioned that if the information happened to be false, then, they would definitely be in trouble which the three mentioned above accepted because they were sure of their facts.

“When the operation was carried out, it was successful but, since then, they have not received any commendation from the commission, let alone give any reward as stated, even though the EFCC has their names and phone numbers,” a part of the petition sent to the AGF read.

The petitioners said rather than do the needful, some EFCC officials informed them more people were involved in the deal. Their names were not released.

When contacted, media aide to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Yinka Akintunde, said such issues should be referred to the EFCC because “it is not the responsibility of the ministry.”

Akintunde said the ministry would only come in when the right persons have been identified.

At the EFCC, its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, explained the role of the commission on the matter.

He said several persons had approached the commission to say they were part of the whistleblowing.

Uwujaren, held that the commission has records of the original whistleblowers of the Ikoyi Towers cash.

“All will be done to make sure that the right persons are paid accordingly,” he reportedly said.

THE proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra has distance itself from a video posted on the internet which showed a group of people with Biafran flags threatening to assassinate President Muhammadu Buhari so he step foot in the South-east region.

In the said video, some individuals dressed in all-black attire covered their faces like Boko Haram and similar terrorist groups and had Biafran flags displayed around them in a location that looks like a forest.

In a prepared speech, they also promised to kill any governor from the South-East who is associated with bringing Buhari into the South-East.

In a statement signed by the Spokespersons of the group, Dr. Clifford Iroanya and Mr. Emma Nmezu, the group said it does not intend to go into armed struggle nor are they into any form of terrorism.

It said it has also chosen the peaceful and bloodless path of restoration of Biafra through the instrumentality of United Nations’ mandated and supervised Referendum.

To achieve this objective, it maintained it has joined the Lower Niger Independence Movement (LONIM) which it sees as a coalition platform for all pro-independence and self-determination groups.

It said it is partnering with other groups to strengthen LONIM to achieve its objective and does not believe in violence and will never support any action that will lead to loss of lives and properties.

It cautioned groups that are sponsoring terrorism to desist from using the name of Biafra.

The group said it wanted the world to note that it is not a terrorist organization.

It reiterated: “The restoration of the Nation of Biafra is a divine project whose time has come and is, therefore, unstoppable, unquenchable, irreversible, and irrevocable.”

THREE members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State, were on Sunday arrested by Army personnels attached to 144 Battalion under 14 Brigade, Ohafia.

The soldiers were reportedly on patrol around Alaoji Fly Over, when Mr. Nwagbougwu Okeke, aged 55yrs, Mr. Chidiebere Nwaoha, aged 35yrs and Mr. John Nwaogazi, aged 50yrs were arrested.

The Nation reports that the suspects were caught distributing flyers and posters with a caption “No Election In Anambra State”.

They have so far been handed over to the Department of State Security for continued investigation.

THE judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the Senate to pay all salaries and allowances of Senator Ali Ndume, who has been on suspension will be appealed today.

The upper legislative chamber disclosed this through it Counsel, Mr. Mike Ozekhome, on Sunday. It also expressed optimism that the decision of the trial court would be overturned by the Court of Appeal.

”For the records, the Senate had challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to entertain the matter on several grounds, portions of which are outlined hereunder for the purpose of emphasis, as follows:

”That the Plaintiff wrongly joined several causes of action in his Originating Summons.

”That an action for the enforcement of fundamental rights to fair hearing can only be brought against a court or a tribunal, established by law as held by the Supreme Court in several current cases, and not against Committee of a legislative body.

”That by the provisions of sections 3 and 30 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, the trial court lacked requisite jurisdiction to hear the suit of the Plaintiff.

”The notice of appeal is ready and would be filed unfailingly by Monday morning.

”An application for a stay of execution of the orders of the court will also be filed same time.

”The Senate’s argument is supported by various and current decisions of the apex court,” it noted.

THE Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has ordered the probe of violent confrontation by security details of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and that of Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, in the state capital on Saturday.

Rivers Police Command spokesman Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed this to TheNation Newspaper.

He did not give details about the said investigation.

Convoys of the two men engaged themselves in a violent confrontation along Trans-Amadi road, Nwaja axis, in Port-Harcourt, the state capital.

Both of them are claiming they escaped being assassinated.

The duo has been at loggerheads since Wike took over from Amaechi as Rivers state governor.

THE federal government has said the whistleblower who led to recovery of $43m, N23.2m and £27,800 from an Ikoyi apartment, stashed in flat 7b in osborne towers in Lagos will be paid this month.

This is coming days after the whistleblower threatened to drag the government to court.

The whistleblower policy was introduced in December 2016 by the Federal Government as part of the initiatives to wage war against corruption.

The government’s new stand is contained in a statement by Mr. Oluyinka Akintunde, Special Adviser, Media and Communications, to Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun.

The minister denied claims that the government had withheld any fund due to any whistle-blower, adding that the delay was caused by the administrative procedures that must be fulfilled before such funds are released.

“The attention of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has been drawn to media reports surrounding the payment to a whistleblower, who provided the tips that led to the recovery of funds stashed away in a property in Ikoyi, Lagos State.

“The Honourable Minister wishes to state unequivocally that the Federal Government has not withheld any fund due to any whistleblower.

“The ministry has in place detailed procedures for processing payments due under the whistleblower policy.

“The procedures were designed to prevent abuse and legal disputes and to ensure protection of the information providers.

“These procedures include an application by the agency who recovered the funds including evidence of the recovery, confirmation that there are no pending legal issues on the recovery, verification of the identity of the information provider, calculation of the amount payable and computation of relevant taxes.

“It must be stated also that payments are made in monthly batches to ensure control and to protect the identity of information providers.

“To date, over 20 of such persons have been paid. From available records, the payment due on Ikoyi is among those being processed in the November batch, which will be released within the current month,” the statement said.

AILING former vice-president, Alex Ekwueme was today flown abroad for medical treatment.

Vanguard Newspaper reports that the second republic vice president was brought to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu with a National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu, SUV ambulance at about 7.26am and driven straight into the tarmac, where he was taken into a waiting air ambulance with registration number N605 JA.

Punch Newspaper reports that ambulance departed the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, around 8:30 am.

Independent Newspaper in its own version reports that the white air ambulance used to fly him abroad arrived the airport on Saturday night and spent the night there.

The destination of the flight was not known. Sources at the Memphys Hospital, were he was admitted after slumping in his house while he was said to be trying to fetch something from the dining table, kept sealed lips.

The octogenarian who celebrated his 85th birthday on October 10, had members of his family who were at the airport to bid him farewell.

Rumours making the rounds days later that he had passed on were debunked by the family just as the Presidency gave orders for him to be flown abroad once doctors gave the green light.

A Vanguard Correspondent in Enugu, who witnessed the event was attacked by soldiers, policemen and other airport security officials who confiscated his camera, mobile phone and other working tools.

Some of the security men who were attached to Ekwueme as well as his family members deleted all the pictures of the Air Ambulance from his camera and mobile phone which they seized, threatening to visit him personally, if the story of the incident was published.

Agbo was briefly detained at one of the offices in the airport, where his mobile phone and empty camera were later returned to him.

THE Federal Government will provide an administrator and declare a state of emergency in Anambra State if its people refuse to vote as advised by the Indigenous People of Biafra, a senator representing Anambra North Senatorial district, Stella Oduah has said.

The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had threatened Anambra voters with death if they vote at the election.

The PDP lawmaker while advising the people to ignore the death threat stated this on Sunday.

Explaining this to journalist in Abuja, she held that the Constitution did not allow for a vacuum in any state and as such if the current term lapses and a governor had not been elected, then an administrator would be appointed.

“Therefore if we fail to cast our votes, if we fail to come out to vote and have a new governor, what will happen is that the Federal Government will provide an administrator and declare a state of emergency.

“That is not what we want. It means that democracy will elude us, who is governing us would not be who we voted for or who we desired.

“This is not about which party I belong to. It is about saving our state, it is about making sure that our youths, our women, our children have a peaceful and enabling environment where good governance and policies will strive.

“Therefore we must make sure that we come out on the 18th and vote.

“What Anambra needs now more than anything is peace, we need peace for progress, we need peace for security, we need peace for the development that is coming and that has come.

“We do not need violence, we have had enough killings, thank God we have security in Anambra more than most states, we must ensure that is sustained.

“Most importantly our basic human right that is enshrined in the constitution that gives us the right to choose who governs us must not be denied us.

“We will be denying ourselves that if we fail to come out and vote and protect our votes.

“I am pleading that all leaders come out and tell their followers to ensure that they come out and vote come 18th of November.

“We must not stay at home on the 18th, we must exercise our civic rights,” she said.

When HEADLINE carried out some perusal about what the Nigerian Constitution says about boycotting election, it found out that discouraging or hindering people from exercising their franchise in an election as done by the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, has done is classified as treason and in another version the constitution termed it terrorism.

THE Bring Back Our Girls Group, #BBOG, would resume its daily protest marches on Tuesday to the State House.

The demonstration it stated was to remind the government that it is yet to rescue 113 Chibok girls that were kidnapped on April, 14, 2014.

More than 100 girls are still missing after they were abducted from their school in the North-east town of Chibok in 2014 by the Boko Haram.

About 276 girls were kidnapped, leading to global social media campaigns nationally and globally, using the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls.

”Following the return of 82 of our girls 6 months ago, not much has been heard from the Government of Nigeria. Three months ago the presidency made commitments none of which have been implemented. For this reason, our movement mobilised for marches to the State House to ensure that the federal government lives up to its commitment, but we put them on hold at various times.

”Most recently, one month ago, the vice president made open commitments about our #ChibokGirls, likewise the president in his Independence Day address. We, therefore, in line with our principle and practice of reasonableness put a hold on our marches, expecting to see the outcome of the commitments made. Up to now we see no evidence of any outcomes.

”The families of our #ChibokGirls have been completely in the dark all these six months. The likewise public has been in the dark. Within this time Lassa women (among them police service personnel) were kidnapped by the terrorists, also an oil exploratory team which included staff of the University of Maiduguri, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and members of our military were kidnapped. None of the victims in both incidences is back, none of their families has been contacted. These are only two of many incidences within the last six months under review,” the group media team said in a statement on Friday.

It said the marches, which will commence 9 a.m. daily from Tuesday at the Unity Fountain, Abuja would refocus the attention of the authorities to the plight of the traumatised families.

”Our movement, therefore resumes daily marches to the State House, in order to refocus attention on the plight of our #ChibokGirls and all the incidences of abductions, killings, and general insecurity as well as the abysmally poor handling of the situations; to demand their immediate return,” the statement said.

AmadiAba:
more pics

ELDERS and leaders of the Niger Delta region has secured an extention of three (3) months ceasefire from Niger Delta Avengers to enable the federal government prove that it is sincere about its commitment to the region.

The militant group has been claiming responsibility for attacks on oil installations in the region last year.

Last week, the group said it would resume hostilities any moment from then, adding that the Buhari’s administration has not been sincere with its peace talks and promises for the Niger Delta.

Intervening, the Pan-Niger Delta People’s Congress (PNDPC) said it had interfaced with the agitators and successfully secured a commitment from the NDA to extend its ceasefire for another three months.

“We have been concerned because the Niger Delta problem is a Nigerian problem. When the Niger Delta is in crisis, Nigeria is in crisis. If we don’t handle it well, it can consume the entire country the same way the leadership of the northern Nigeria, particularly those of the North-East, did not come out to handle the Boko Haram problem, which has now gone international.

“That is why we as leaders of the Niger Delta area came together to say we must stop this.

“This last threat did not come from criminals, it came from some of them that I hold in very high esteem, and in the last three days, we have been working day and night; myself, Elder T.K Ogoriba and a few others, to see that we discourage bombing.

“We have just secured a three-month extension of ceasefire to enable government prove its sincerity for the last time. But if they fail us this time around, someone like me will pull out; I will no longer be involved in this peace process.

“The boys have said now that we’ve prevailed on them, they will listen again. I can assure you that you will not see bombing or destruction of pipelines and facilities because we have secured extra three months of ceasefire,” National Coordinator of PNDPC, High Chief Mike Loyibo said in a chat with TheNation Newspaper.

Also, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) said it had not rested on its oars in its efforts to bring lasting peace, stability and development to the region.

“The most important thing is that, just like we accessed them before and they kept to their words and gave PANDEF their mandate to go on to dialogue on their behalf, PANDEF will continue to access them.

“Avengers are not spirits; they are human beings and indigenes of the Niger Delta. So, if anybody says PANDEF does not know how to access them, that can’t be true.

“Efforts are being made. PANDEF is not resting on its oars. It is living up to the expectations of Niger Delta people by ensuring that there’s permanent and sustainable peace and to fast-track development in the region, based on equity and justice.

“As a follow up to all I’ve said, PANDEF is hosting an extraordinary general assembly, particularly to address this security situation. The meeting is coming up on Friday 17th of this month at the PTI Conference Centre, Effurun, Delta State.

“The meeting is very important because people need to come together to articulate views and find ways of trying to see how this whole matter can be resolved.

“This is to tell you about the importance PANDEF attaches to peace in the region,” the Coordinator of PANDEF’s secretariat, who is also a member of its Central Working Committee (CWC), Dr Alfred Mulade, told the newspaper.

As at press time, when Headline visited the website of the Avengers, nothing about this new development was seen there even though the militant group had used the medium to announce the expiration of its ceasefire on oil installations across the region.