19092022

Vanguard, MONDAY,
SEPTEMBER 19, 2022 — 5
POCKET CARTOON
ASSASSINATION ON EMOHUA-KALABARI ROAD:
Ijaw youths threaten to shut
down 4 Rivers LGAs
By Emma Amaize,
Regional Editor,
South-South
PORT HARCOURT-
THE Ijaw Youth
Council, IYC, in Kalabari
Se-Ikpangi, Rivers State,
weekend, threatened to
close down the
secretariats of four local
government areas in the
state, if by November
28, the chairmen failed
to tackle the widespread
kidnapping and killing
of people on the
Emohua-Kalabari Road.
Protesting Ijaw youths
stormed the Emohua,
Asari Tolu, Degema and
Akuku Toru local
government areas,
where they submitted
disapproval letters to the
chairmen on the
deplorable and insecure
state of the Emohua-
Kalabari Road.
IYC, in a statement by
the chief press secretary,
Seleipiri Dokubo, said,:
“We expect swift
response to the above
request from Thursday,
September 15, 2022, and
unequivocally declare
Monday November 28,
2022, to shut down the
four local government
council secretariats, if
our expectations are not
met as stated above and
the kidnapping and
killing of our people
persist
“IYC, Kalabari Se-
Ikpangi condemns this
act in its entirety and
calls on the state
government, the four
local government areas,
viz Emohua, Asalga,
Delga and Akulga
Chairmen, in synergy
with critical stakeholders
(traditional, opinion and
youth leaders), to
collaborate in beefing up
adequate security along
this road to curb this
ugly menace”.
The youths, who earlier
visited the Commanding
Officer, Nigerian Army,
103 Battalion, Lt. Col.
S.O Buhari at Obuama in
Degema local
government, demanded:
“Construction of a
Nigerian Army Barrack
along the Emohua-
Kalabari Road and
launching of an internal
security outfit, including
members of IYC,
Kalabari, Se-Ikpangi,
alongside very
committed OSPAC
members from Emohua
local government area.
“Rehabilitation of the
Emohua-Kalabari Road;
acquisition of Sienna
vehicles for the security
outfit; hosting a security
summit in collaboration
with all relevant
authorities - traditional
rulers, youth leaders,
religious and opinion
leaders, security
personnel (serving and
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi (right) presenting a certificate to
renowned oncologist and member of Ekiti State COVID-19 Response Resource
Mobilisation Committee, Professor Funmi Olopade; while her husband watched
during the dinner / award event held in honour of members of the committee in
Lagos.
retired) in conjunction
with the four local
government areas’
executive chairmen.”
The council also paid
condolence visit to the
family of a bus driver,
Mr. Salvation Taylor-
Harry, who died,
following injuries
sustained in the hands
of kidnappers that
abducted him, September
3, on Emohua-Kalabari
Road.
Dokubo, said: “We
expressed our heartfelt
condolences to the family
and prayed for God to
comfort them at this
moment of grief while we
Be prepared to protect Benue communities,
Ortom charges Special guards’ trainees
By Peter Duru
MAKURDI —
Governor Samuel
Ortom of Benue State has
asked the second batch of
trainees of the State
Community Volunteer
Guards to be prepared to
defend and protect
communities of the state
from external aggressors.
The governor gave the
charge yesterday when he
visited the training camp of
the Volunteer Guards at the
military shooting range,
near Ikpayongo, Gwer East
Local Government Area of
the state.
Ortom, who was
accompanied by the
lawmaker representing
Benue North-East
senatorial district, Senator
Gabriel Suswam, and other
top government officials,
also participated in the
shooting training.
He commended the
trainees for exhibiting high
level of enthusiasm and
commitment which he noted
showed their readiness to
defend and protect Benue
communities against
invasion.
He warned the trainees
against using “the training
you have acquired and the
legal weapons that would
be provided after your
inauguration to engage in
criminal acts because
anyone who does so would
be prosecuted.”
The governor told the
trainees that their
recruitment, training and
eventual inauguration were
properly backed by the law
enacted by previous
administrations. “The
Benue State government
under my leadership, only
amended the law to make
it more effective in line with
present challenges,’’ he
said.
Governor Ortom further
noted that due to the rising
insecurity in the country,
the 19 Northern governors
recently met and resolved
to strongly advocate the
establishment of state
police, saying as soon as it
was approved, the special
guards operatives would be
continue consultation
with critical stakeholders
to bring this barbaric act
to an abrupt end.”
the first to be recruited in
Benue State.
Former governor of the
state, Senator Gabriel
Suswam, on his part,
enjoined the Volunteer
Guards trainees to abide by
their rules of engagement,
saying their good conduct
Is important to convince the
people that had misgivings
about the establishment of
the security outfit.
He also lauded Governor
Ortom for taking the bull by
the horns in setting up a
security outfit to
complement the efforts of
conventional security
agencies to protect the lives
and property of Benue
people.
Earlier, Special Adviser to
the Governor on Security
Matters, Lt. Col. Paul
Hemba, retd, said the
Volunteer Guards trainees
had already undergone
three weeks of rigorous
training, with the shooting
experience being the last,
saying the visit of the
governor had boosted their
morale.
Assessment of LASG ban on okada in more LGs, LCDAs
By Cynthia Alo
The main cause of
traffic in Lagos is the
commercial bus driver
(danfo) but Lagos State
Government thinks
banning okada is the
solution. Someone who
wakes up by 5:00am to
beat traffic will have to
start waking up by
3:00am. This
administration doesn’t
care about the poor
masses.
—Omolara Adetuwo Gold,
Trader
Most people are now
used to trekking
and I am one of them due
to the ban and my LCDA
is affected. Buses don’t
ply most of the roads
where tricycles (Keke)
and motorcycles have
been banned from
operating. This has been
so stressful. The ban of
okada by the Lagos State
Government is really
affecting many of us.
—Mayowa Babatunde,
Self-employed
Ban of okada in more
LCDAs to me, is a
welcome development so
as to turn Lagos into a
mega city. From my
observation, crime in my
area and in many other
areas has reduced. At
least, all these unnecessary
accidents we on the roads
have also reduced. So to
me, it’s a good one and a
great idea from the Lagos
State Government.
—Okocha Lawrence,
Electronics retailer
This okada ban in
various areas by the
Lagos State Government
is a total shame as they
have rendered
thousands of people
jobless without creating
jobs. These people no
longer have any source
of income. Now, armed
robbery cases are on the
rise, and we have bills
to pay.
—Somto Doris,
Blogger
The truth is that okada has
its own advantages and
disadvantages. The affected
areas here are mainly the rural
communities where you find
a lot of bad roads which
makes transportation very
difficult for the poor ones.
Although it’s not the fault of
the masses that some okada
riders have turned it to a
means of perpetrating evil, but
the Lagos State Government
should also think of other ways
to prevent this rather than this
ban.
—Motunrayo Precious,
Student
The Lagos State
Govt. should rethink this
decision as it would increase the
rate of unemployment in the
country. For me, this is my source
of income and since the ban, it
has not been easy. The
government should employ the
services of security experts to find
a lasting solution to the security
threats we are facing, because we,
legal okada riders, should not be
made to pay the price.
—Matthew Lawrence,
Okada Rider