The Government of Bayelsa State received the news of the kidnap of the mother of the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly with rude shock and has therefore taken prompt action to arrest the perpetrators of the criminal act.

While condemning the action of the kidnappers, the Bayelsa State Government wishes to seize this opportunity to sound a clearnote of warning to all persons with criminal tendencies to keep a far distance from the state because the law will catch up with them sooner than later.

We have said it time and time again that our government will ensure zero tolerance for crime and all forms of criminality and it is clear to all in Bayelsa State that we mean business.

The huge strides undertaken by this administration in the last one year to address the once deplorable security situation in the state can be attested to by all.

The dizzying pace with which this administration was able to turn around Bayelsa State from a haven of cultism and violence and criminality to a situation now where the state is clearly adjudged as one of the most peaceful and secured states in Nigeria will not be toiled with in anyway.

That is why the kidnapping of the Speaker’s mother is most condemnable and will surely not stand. Not only will the kidnappers be arrested and made to face the wrath of the law, their kind and others with such criminal tendencies will be smoked out of the state.

We wish to enjoin all to go about their lawful businesses with the assurance that the state is safe and they can be rest assured that this government will at all times be there to guarantee their safety, the security of their lives and property.

The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs. Rose Chinyere Uzoma, who is enmeshed in a dirty recruitment scandal, has been sacked from office.

In the last few weeks, she has been in a running battle with the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, over the controversial scan which favored the section of the Nigeria where she hails from.

The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has vowed to recover about N62 Billion naira discovered to have been looted by the past administration led by Chief Ikedi Ohakim.

The state governor who disclosed this while receiving the report of Imo state committee on account reconciliation between May 2007 till May 2011 at the state government House, said that the state government will make the report available to relevant authorities such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other Security Agencies and Judicial Commission Panel of inquiry to enable them take necessary action.

Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who was worried over the amount of money looted by the past administration, made it clear that his administration will not cover any corrupt practices in the state and appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria to assist the state to investigate the fraud.

The governor regretted that the previous administration lavished over 62 billion of state fund without accounting and completing a single project in the state, adding that his administration has embarked on several projects such as massive road constructions, building of 27 new general hospitals, construction of 305 model primary and secondary schools, free education programme from primary to the university level, Heroes square and many others with the same amount of allocation given to the past administration.

He appealed to Abuja-based to desist from blackmailing the state and further urged them to engage in constructive criticism to enable the state move forward. He also vowed that no criminal will be allowed to hold any political office again in the state.

He applauded the committee led by the deputy Governor, Sir. Jude Agbaso for a job well done and reminded Imolites that it is a mere report submitted even as he need them to exercise patience pending the outcome of the judicial of inquiry on the issues at stake.

In his speech earlier, the Deputy Governor of the state, Sir. Jude Agbaso, thanked the people for coming out en masse, and frowned at the level of embezzlement carried out by the previous administration led by Chief Ikedi Ohakim without showing anything tangible or good to the people of the state and advised Imolites to always look well before voting any politician into power. The Deputy Governor, however, regretted that bulk of all the fictitious projects claimed to have been carried out by the past administration was only done on pages of newspapers and televisions stating that the contractors of the past

administration led by Ikedi Ohakim that they have paid were not actually paid and the documentation was not to be found in any file.

Dignitaries present at the occasion include the members of Imo State Expanded Executive Council, traditional rulers, H.R.H. Eze Samuel Ohiri, Chairman Imo State traditional rulers council, prominent Imo sons and daughters, permanent secretaries of all the ministries and directors, the Clergy, artisans, national union of road transport workers representative and many others.

An anti-corruption group based in the United Kingdom,the Stakeholder Democratic  Network (SDN) has frowned at the priority given by the Federal  Government to security action against crude oil theft at the detriment  of the needed environmental protection action against oil spillages in  the Niger Delta region.

According to the group, though the  activities of crude oil thieves is reducing the economic earnings of the nation,the excessive focus and security actions against illegal  bunkering and crude oil theft is a poor reflection of the policy focus  and sign of wickedness against the people of the Niger Delta by the  Federal Government.

The country coordinator of the group,Comrade  Inemo Samiama,in a statement made available to news men in Yenagoa, he  said  the group’s position was fueled by the lack of action on the KS Endeavour blowout in 2012 and the excessive focus or campaigns on  illegal oil theft and illegal oil refineries should distract from  addressing this shortfall.

“The 2012 is   typical of a year where much was put in the public domain about oil  spills especially those from illegal refineries, but too little was done to address the massive gap between Nigeria’s spill record and its  capacity to contain and clean up oil spills. The most fortunate event  in 2012 was that the Chevron rig that exploded in the early hours of  January 16th was tasked to gas rather than oil exploration. However the  lack of any substantive government response or meaningful investigation  (other than accepting flyovers provided by the company) was a hallmark  of all that is wrong in the industry”, the group stated.

They went further, “Even one of the most  dramatic pieces of investigative journalism for the year – where  Thomson Reuters raised many questions about events leading up to the  blowout – did nothing to stir action on globally one of the very few  rigs destroyed in this manner since the Macando disaster in the Gulf of  Mexico.

The lack of action on the KS Endeavour blowout was typical of a year where much was put in the public domain about oil  spills-especially those from illegal refineries- but too little was done to address the massive gap between Nigeria’s spill record and its  capacity to contain and clean up oil spills. No amount of hype,  excessive focus or campaigns on illegal oil theft and illegal oil  refineries should distract from addressing this shortfall. “

The  belated formation of Hyprep was one step that is still in its formative  stages on action over existing oil spills but based on available data  there has been no overall progress on reducing the massive volumes of  oil spilt each year. There is an urgent need for clarity on exactly what actions will be taken on oil spill clean up – both by Hyprep and any  other agencies. The year ended on a sour note with two reported coastal  oil spills from Exxon-Mobil as a reminder of how much needs to be done  to end routine spills.”

An Ebonyi customary court judge, Mr. Stephen Nwankwo, has petitioned the state Commissioner of Police over an alleged attempt by two suspects to bribe him to pervert the course of justice.

Nwankwo, who is the Chairman of Mbeke-Ishieke Customary Court in the Ebonyi Local Government Area, had in a two-page petition signed by his attorney, Mr Luke Nkwegu, called on the police to order diligent prosecution of the two suspects.

The suspects were caught in the act while offering him bribe to pervert justice.

He alleged that the two men (names withheld) came to his house on Jan. 8, 2013 and offered him an envelope containing the sum of N10, 000, adding that his conversation with the suspects was recorded.

“As the conversation was going on, I excused myself and called the police who arrived immediately and arrested the suspects with the exhibit,” he said.

Nwankwo alleged that the money was given to him in respect of a pending case of income tax in his court.

“After the arrest of the suspects, a police officer (name withheld) in the state police command conspired with a lawyer who wrote a rather flimsy petition.

“Following the petition, the case was mysteriously transferred to X-Squad, State Police Headquarters, Abakaliki, and the bribery suspects were hurriedly released,” he said.

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole says the appointment of Major Lawrence Loye (rtd) as Permanent Secretary was a deliberate shock therapy to jolt the civil service back to action.

The Governor who disclosed this yesterday during the swearing-in ceremony of Major Loye said the appointment was based on merit.

“The appointment of Major Loye is deliberate, it is the most potent indication of the fact that it is no longer business as usual. For us to take Edo to the next level we cannot use outdated tools to drive digital changes. It is now business unusual. It is not how close to the governor that will determine the position you hold, but your competence, who you are and what you are capable of doing”, he noted.

According to him, Major Loye’s appointment has shown that Nigeria is one and the same, stressing that though he is not an Edo man, he has shown by his action and conduct that he is a full blooded Edo man.

“Those who are aware of the changes in the state know that Major Loye has been a driver of those changes beginning with the Akpakpava road, Airport road, Siluko road and several other locations within the state. Ordinary this are responsibility vested in the Ministry of Land and survey, they know what constitute the right of way, they know what is an illegal structure, but they also chose to look the other way when the illegal structures are being put in place.

“I had to sidetrack the ministry of land and survey to bring in a Major who had no knowledge of land matters to try to enforce the right of way and to clean up those illegal structures. Those who said it was not possible to expand Akpakpava road are now driving through the road, courtesy Major and myself,” he added.

The governor said as part of the difficult decisions he had to take was to go outside the civil service to appoint Major Loye.

The governor who assured the civil servants in the state that he appreciates them and they have nothing to be afraid of maintained that this appointment is the most bold practical statement that has been made in the past four years in the state.

“Those who are willing to change with us to manage their ministry and their desk competently and efficiently with the same level of passion we are bringing to the job will not only be retained but will be promoted. But those who think that the public service is like a village square where meat is shared on the basis of seniority will be shocked that there is no meat on the table to share.

So much can be done with some level of courage, clear vision and honest intentions. We had to outside the civil service to appoint the PermSec, to my own embarrassment, having spent all my life fighting and agitating for the cause and welfare of workers. I want to assure  the civil servants that they have nothing to fear, but I want to say no one is permanent, the only thing that is permanent is change.

“I am a contract worker who has less than four years to go, therefore, I need men and women who are as impatient as me to take Edo to the next level.

“I went to the Oba Ovoranmwene Square this morning, and I saw some broken bottles which constitute health risk to our children who use that place everyday, yet it is the duty of a Director in the Ministry of Environment to get that place clean. Edo state won’t wait for anyone, since workers at the Ministry of Environment are not ready to change, we will board the train and leave them at the station.

“In the Ministry of Environment, we have directors whose sole business is to ensure that Edo is clean. I promised the Oba of Benin that we will reclaim the moat and we will continue from where we stopped in our first term, that in our second term, we will sustain the pressure. I went round the moat last week, even areas that have been reclaimed, under the watchful eyes of our Ministry of Environment, the moat has again been compromised and it has been converted to refuse dump, just as they converted to Oba Ovonramwan square to a refuse dump,” he added.

The Governor urged the new Permanent Secretary to conform to the extant rules guiding the service, asking him to be fair but firm in his actions. He said with the new appointment, Major Loye is not expected to be an executive Permanent secretary working from the office but a field officer.

Responding, Major Loye assured the Governor that he will discharge the responsibility to the best of his ability without fear or favour and he thanked the governor for the confidence reposed on him.

The Armed Forces Remembrance Day, which is being celebrated throughout the country, climaxed with the Laying of Wreaths at the Peace Park cenotaph in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

Governor Seriake Dickson, represented by his Deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah Retired led other notable personalities such as the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Kate Abiri, Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council King Godwin Igodo and a representative of the widows, Mrs Stella Enai to lay the wreaths.

Others include, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, represented by his Deputy, Hon. Victor Sam Ateki, Commander 235 Base Services Group, Nigerian Air Force, Yenagoa, Air Commodore H.C Ifezue, Commanding Officer, 343 Artillery Regiment Elele, Lt. Col. Muktar Adamu, Commanding Officer Naval Base, Yenagoa, Capt. E.D. Onabere, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kings Omire and State Chairman Nigerian Legion, Elder Effiong Igirigi.

Speaking with newsmen at the event, the Deputy Governor Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah, called for continued support for the Military personnel to enable them discharge their statutory duties effectively.

He urged Nigerians to spare a thought for the families left behind by the war veterans and envision the trauma brought about by the death of their loved ones, saying “Imagine what happens to the family of a soldier when he dies in active service.”

The Deputy Governor who described the Military as a good manager of resources, said in the next one week, the Nigerian Army would deploy troops to Mali where their lives will be exposed to danger.

Also in an interview, widow of late Brigadier General Fredrick Enai, Stella urged the Federal Government to step up its efforts at alleviating the plight of widows of the fallen heroes.

A minute silence was observed in honour of the departed heroes as well as firing of salvo in their remembrance.