Author: nationalpoint

Across the six states of the Niger Delta as in the rest of the country, a feverish pace of politicking opened up as 2022 dawned. In the past few months, political activities have picked momentum, as the political parties held their primaries in May, 2022, producing the fore runners for public office at the various levels, especially the presidential candidates. Currently, political activities are taking place in cities, towns and communities across the country, with frenzied frequency. As politicians desperate for power and the near unbridled access to public resources and perks fire the ambitions of many in the political…

The Edo State Police Command has said its men killed five suspected kidnappers, recovered arms and rescued one victim in Ughoshi-Afe bush, Ibillo, in the Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state. A statement by the deputy police public relations officer, PPRO, ASP Jennifer Iwegbu, said the suspects were killed in a gun duel. “The Edo State Police Command in its avowed commitment to rid the state of violent crimes, especially kidnapping on Sunday, rescued one kidnapped victim, neutralised five kidnappers and recovered arms and ammunition. “This feat was achieved following credible information given to the command that hoodlums suspected…

Edo State Civil Society Organizations (EDOCSO) has accused the state commissioner of Police Butu Yaro, of threatening, intimidating and instilling fear in its members and has demanded that the police chief be called to order. The organization, which addressed a press conference in Benin City titled, “The Insensitivity of Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police Towards Human Rights Activitists,” said the commissioner of police has been deliberately harassing its members who have matters before the police. Interim Chairman of EDOCSO, Lefist Austine Enabuele, said the threat to the civic space and the human rights community by the actions and…

Commuters and other road users of the Benin-Lagos Expressway were on Monday 15, August 2022, stranded as hundreds of vehicle spare parts dealers in the popular Uwelu International Spare Parts Market shut down the Ugbowo axis of the highway over the deplorable condition of the Uwelu Road that leads to the market. The protest caused traffic gridlock, as motorists and commuters coming from Lagos and those going out of town were trapped for several hours. The traders who also shut their shops in the market, barricaded the ever-busy highway. Mostly affected were workers of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and…

Dateline: August 18, 2022, an indigenous crude oil production company, Oriental Energy Resources Limited commissioned and handed over new and upgraded essential teaching and learning facilities to Community Primary School, Ibuot Utan in Effiat, Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State; a Demonstration of the company’s commitment to education and human capital development in the state, especially in Effiat community. National Point learned that before the project by the oil company, the Community Primary School, with more than sixty children were receiving instruction from dilapidated structure. It was further gathered that the restoration and provision of new facilities by…

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has called on the Akwa Ibom state government to partner the association to establish a research farm for pharmaceutical growth in the state. Speaking during a visit to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Samuel Offor, the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of PSN, Dr. Akwaowo Akpabio stated that local plants and herbs such as Artemesia Anua could be used in medical research and provision of locally produced clinical drugs. The PSN noted that the Ministry of Agriculture was saddled with the responsibility to plan, devise and implement the State policies on agricultural resources; hence…

Police in Akwa Ibom State have nabbed a fake officer and recover substance suspected to be Indian hemp. This happens as the Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durosinmi decorated 37 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) to the next rank of Superintendents of Police (SPs). The CP, while decorating the Senior Officers charged them to always discharge their duties professionally in consonance with extant laws. He urged them to be civil to members of the public and eschew every form of corruption in line with the directives of the Inspector General of Police, while respecting the fundamental human rights of the people.…

Oilwatch Africa (OWA) held the 2022 Conference and Annual General Meeting at Accra, Ghana between 8th -12th August. The theme of the continental gathering was Stop Gassing the continent: Pipelines of Discontent. The Conference had presentations and representation from CSOs, activists, scholars, journalists, fisherfolks and Eco-defenders from fossil fuels-affected communities across the continent and provided another opportunity to deepen OWA’s mission as a network of peoples and organisations building solidarity to end expansion of oil and gas activities given its negative impacts on people and the environment in Africa. Key observations made by delegates included: That the current rush for…

Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Philip Shaibu, has faulted claims by former governor of the state, Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, that Governor Godwin Obaseki, lied about his certificates when he was in the All Progressives Congress (APC). Shaibu spoke in Benin City when he received top members of the APC and kinsfolk of Oshiomhole, who defected with Senator Francis Alimikhena from APC to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The deputy governor said it was Oshiomhole’s overbearing dictatorship as a political godfather that made him and Obaseki to defect from APC to PDP just before the 2020 governorship reelection. He said…

Edo State commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, has said logistics provided the command by the state government have helped in stopping kidnapping along the Benin – Ekpoma road. CP Yaro said in Benin City during a meeting with members of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and other relevant stakeholders in the state, that in the last three months, the only kidnapping activity witnessed in the state occurred on the Benin-Lagos express near Ogbemudia Farm and was repelled by the police. “I can confidently attest that in the past 90 days, the roads between Benin and Ekpoma…