Author: Preye Okah

The Legal Aid Council in Bayelsa says it secured the discharge of three indigent suspects in the last one week. Mr. Eddy Inenevwo, Coordinator of the council in Bayelsa told our correspondent on Wednesday in Yenagoa that the council was committed to providing free legal service to indigent people. He noted the three acquittals were achieved in less than six months from when the suspects were charged to court, adding that closing out the cases within the timeframe was remarkable. He said that the council defended Christopher Birigene, 28, who was arraigned for the allegedly stealing 24 bunches of plantain…

The Association of Women Against Gender Based Violence (AWAGBV), a coalition of non-governmental organizations in Bayelsa State has celebrated outstanding and influential women who have empowered other women in society. The celebration tagged Cheers to Her: A Celebration of Women Empowering Women, featured women across the globe celebrating themselves as they deepened the discourse on the role of women in national development and the need for women to build their capacity and acquire skills that will empower them financially. AWAGBV is made up of 18 formidable women leading other women in their various organizations namely: FOMWAN, Bayelsa State chapter, Women…

The Bayelsa government says its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has hit N 5 billion from N 1.2 billion as it reiterated its commitment to transparency. Mrs Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, Bayelsa Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, who gave the assurance of accountability during a breakdown of the state’s revenue profile for January and February 2025, said the IGR rose from N1.2 billion in January to N 5 billion in March 2025. She attributed the rise in internal revenue to reforms at the Bayelsa Board of Internal Revenue and recently introduced electronic ticketing for collecting revenue. She urged the people of Bayelsa…

Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Foundation has commenced free cataract surgeries for 1,000 beneficiaries in Bayelsa. The surgery followed an earlier screening programme which diagnosed persons with cataract and profiled them for surgery. The free surgeries were done at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa and Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri. Mrs Emmanuela Arukwe, Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, said the intervention was to combat widespread issues of visual impairment caused by cataracts. Arukwe who was represented by the Manager, Healthcare programme, Jude Ayalogu, said the intervention which is being replicated across the six geopolitical zones of the country…

The Obololi community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa have lamented that no relief had come their way after the Feb. 16 oil leak discharged crude oil and polluted the River Nun. The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) traced the source of the leak to a 16 inch Nun River-Kolo Creek underwater pipeline operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). Mr Goodnews Okoi, Chairman, Obololi Community Development Committee (CDC) said that the coastline community is suffering acute water scarcity and risked cholera outbreak across Bayelsa. The CDC Chairman lamented that following the pollution of the…

The Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund (BEDTF) on Saturday commenced a six-week training aimed at overcoming learning deficiencies amongst children in public schools. The programme is a collaboration between the BEDTF and the Teachers Training, Registration and Certification Board (TTRCB) in partnership with the Bridge Academy in United States of America. Speaking at the opening, Dr Gentle Emelah, Commissioner of Education in Bayelsa noted that inclusive education, which emphasises special attention to students with learning disabilities would make inclusive education a reality. Emelah, who was represented by Dr Charles Daniel, Chairman, Bayelsa Assembly Committee on Education noted that education…

The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYC) has called on gladiators in the current political crisis in Rivers to put aside their differences and work together in the interest of the people of the state. In a statement, the spokesman of IYC, Mr Bedford Benjamin, said this would avert chaos and insecurity which the Niger Delta cannot afford at this time. The statement said, “The peace enjoyed in the Niger Delta about two decades now has been taken for granted, and merchants of crises are not happy about the relative peace in the oil rich region. “As the conscience of the…

Militant activities in parts of Bayelsa State have become a source of concern for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The Bayelsa State Representative and Director of the commission, Godknows Alameiseigha, disclosed this when the state executive committee of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) paid him a courtesy call in his office in Yenagoa. Alameiseigha urged the media to help in sensitizing the populace on the need to secure NDDC projects in their domains, saying it was only when the citizens do so that projects would be started and finished. He said some of the projects were often vandalised…

The National Association of Seadogs, Pyrates Confraternity (NAS-PC) has called for a review of laws militating against cases of gender-based discriminations and violence in the society. The NAS-PC, in conjunction with gender based advocacy groups including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Bayelsa State and the Do Foundation, however agreed that despite the needed review, there was the need to address gender-based biases at homes. They noted that perpetrators of gender-based discriminations and violence are often fathers, brothers, and sons. This year’s theme was, “For all Women and Girls: Rights, Equality and Empowerment.” The…

Bayelsa State Police Command has attributed the rescue of two abducted staff of Niger Delta Development commission (NDDC) to credible intelligence from residents and deployment of security drones. The two NDDC personnel were abducted last Friday on the waterways while they were about to board a boat to Ayakoro community in Ogbia Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa. It was learnt that the duo were dropped off by their abductors after intense pressure at the desolate Ayakoro Burial Ground from where they were rescued by a combined security search and rescue team on Sunday. Mr Alonyenu Idu, Commissioner of Police…