Innocent Ojefia Blog

Casualties figure, according to eye witnesses, now stands at six Fight over a woman between two neighbouring communities of Badarawa Kwaru and Unguwar Yero in Kaduna North local government area of Kaduna State has turned bloody. Read more at: DAILY POST gathered that not fewer than six persons have lost their lives since the eruption of fight on Sunday night, while several others have sustained various degree of injuries. As at the time of filing this report Wednesday afternoon, there is heavy presence of Police and soldiers as residents remain indoor. Several gunshots were fired into the air at interval. Eye witnesses accounts said the fight started between two men on Sunday night over a woman. Emmanuel Kaja said that a man from Kwaru community came on motorbike to Unguwar Yero to see his alleged concubine who incidentally is a wife of a man in Unguwar Yero. According to him, “The woman was in relationship with the man from Kwaru when she was a girl and used to ...

On May 29 last year, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa took over the baton of governance of Delta State. Since his coming to power, people opinions about the government varies, while some believe the man is doing his best, others think he is just a governor with little to show. For those holding the second opinion, there are many reasons behind their opinion about Senator Okowa’s government. One thing noticeable about the government is the absence of propaganda meant to bamboozle the masses with achievements made by this administration. Unlike in the past, this government is silently satisfying the aspirations of the people. Within a short time, the government has achieved a lot in many sectors of socio-economic development. The government has also come up with far reaching policies, that in the near future will make Delta State economically vibrant and a darling of both foreign and local investors.  Due to indiscriminate award of contracts for infrastructures by the last government...

– President Buhari condemns Fulani attacks, orders Nigerian army to go after the herdsmen – He assures Nigerians of his administration’s continued commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property in all parts of the country  – The president will me the governor of Enugu state to discuss current situation.  President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the attacks by the Fulani herdsmen, directed crackdown on killers, Daily Trust reports.  The president who gave the order on April 27 also asked the security chiefs to secure areas where the suspected killer herders are functioning.  He has directed the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Abayomi Olonishakin and the the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase to go after the herdsmen that are terrorizing people in some parts of Nigeria.  In the president’s address delivered by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, at the public presentation of a book authored by the Deputy...

In a statement yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, by its spokesman, Eric Omare, IYC condemned the “slaughtering” of innocent Nigerians in the Middle Belt, Southwest and, recently, in Enugu State, Southeast. The statement said: “We believe that the attacks are carried out by terrorists, who disguise as Fulani herdsmen. “The traditional Fulani herdsmen have been grazing their cattle for decades in different parts of the country without such attacks, until recently when the attacks became persistent.”   OUR VIEWS On the whole, Nigeria remains a worthy light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel project, in spite of the crisis of value, compounded by crisis of structures, that currently threatens her existence. All the same, as Nigerians are expecting the president to experiment the miracle of the Marriage at Cana, another critical area that has of late become Nigeria's defining identity is the activity of Fulani herdsmen. And, while it may be...

The Governor Delta State Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has disclosed that the State government would set up a peace committee to resolve the lingering boundary dispute between Aladja community in Udu Local Government Area and Ogbe-ijoh in Warri South West Local Government Area of the State.  Speaking after a visit and a peace parley with both communities, Governor Okowa explained that the committee which would be inaugurated in the next one week would see to the amicable resolution of the perennial communal clash so as to allow peace to reign in the area. "I just came here today to see for myself and have an understanding of what is happening here, l am going to set up a committee that will be inaugurated in the next one week with the State Surveyor General as a member." he said stressing that " whoever among you that have good information and documents regarding the boundary map should be nominated into the committee and both communities will send two represe...

Anybody who thinks that, under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, any government, party or president can eradicate corruption is like a man who expects a worm to give birth to a lion, or who wants to go to heaven but doesn’t want to die. If Nigerians are at all serious in their endless noisemaking against corruption, they must, as a first step, get rid of their 1999 Constitution. Anybody who is claiming he can end corruption but who isn’t campaigning to get rid of the 1999 Constitution is a fraud. But Nigerians are not serious. First of all, they love what they call corruption, they became addicted to it right from the 1950s. They want to loot and squander, that’s why they don’t really want corruption tackled.  Secondly, they love their noisemaking against it. If “corruption” was eliminated, they would lose their favorite topic for complaining. In this matter of denouncing corruption, Nigerians are like a rich hypochondriac who is addicted to his symptoms and to the attention ...

The Delta State government and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has concluded plans to set up a mini-number plate manufacturing plant in Delta State.  Speaking in Asaba today when the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi paid him a courtesy visit, the Governor disclosed that accommodation facilities have been provided for the effective take off of the mini-manufacturing plant. He disclosed that manufacturing the number plates would ensure faster provision of genuine number plates for motorists, adding that the FRSC should also, work towards encouraging investors to manufacture genuine tyres in Nigeria. According to him, it was sad that despite the huge market for tyres in Nigeria, there is no company that was manufacturing the product, observing that manufacturing the product in Nigeria would ensure that genuine tyres were made available to road users in Nigeria. "It is an undisputable fact that most of the accidents witnessed on the roads were as a result o...

– Protesters commence rally to demand resignation of Saraki  –  The protesters marched from the Unity Fountain near Transcorp Hilton to the National Assembly Members of Citizen United for Peace and Stability today, April 26, besieged the National Assembly following a reported closed door meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and ten senators in the Senate.  The civil society organization in one voice, called for the immediate resignation of the Senate President Bukola Saraki, over the myriad of corruption cases preferred against, the purchase of SUVs for senators at exorbitant price, as well as an alleged attempt to frustrate the 2016 national budget. According to the protesters, they will not stop until Saraki tenders his resignation letter. It was gathered that the protesters marched from the Unity Fountain near Transcorp Hilton to the National Assembly. See photos below: Saraki came under intense pressure after he assumed the Senate presidency ...

In a statement in Abuja,   the Federal   Ministry of Finance   said: “All states will receive the relief in this   instance , however further deferrals will be subject to the agreement of a Fiscal Restructuring Plan to be prepared by each state with clear measurable   objectives .  The ministry is keen to ensure that the programme of Financial   Discipline   being driven by the Federal Government is replicated in all tiers of government, including elimination of payroll fraud and increased spending   efficiencies   in overhead. Enhanced financial transparency by the publication of audited accounts and submission of debt profile may also be required.” The ministry clarified that the debt repayments due to the States’   creditors   will be fully paid notwithstanding the deferral. “The Federal Government will make the due debt repayments, which would be offset against liabilities owed to the states. Hence a...

With the changing times brought about by the emergence of social media, it is necessary for our people to embrace Social Media as a special opportunity from the Lord Most High to get empowered instead of a passing phase meant for gossips; watching of porn and political E-thuggery.  It is also necessary for our people to shun being induced with stipends, crumbs or peanuts to insult themselves, elders and game-changers in the name of politics... because it's counterproductive.  The present generation have the power to effect the right change and positive development if and only if they will embrace the positives of Social Media instead of living a life of waste on the cyberspace.  Just like any other trending Social phenomenon, Social Media has become the key platform for political growth and enrichment but that is only if we key into the positives of the various online platforms. On the internet, politicians are seen maintaining good faces and image; ind...

The Secretary to Delta State Government, Hon Festus Agas today briefed NIPSS SENIOR EXECUTIVE COURSE, No. 38, Study Group 1 at the SSG office, Asaba, Delta State.  The topic is Strengthening Institutional Mechanisms For Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Development in Nigeria: THE DELTA STATE EXPERIENCE   The Participants of Senior Executive Course (SEC) No. 38, Study Group 1, of the National Institute of Policy & Strategic Studies are on study tour of Delta State, the group is led by Prof. Habibu Galadima. The briefing by the SSG is coming after a courtesy call on the Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa at Government House, Asaba. 

ASABA—THE much anticipated merger of Labour Party, LP and the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, weekend, suffered a setback with the State Chairman of LP, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, dissociating himself from the merger talks between the two major political parties in the State. Read more at: Indications had emerged last week that LP and the Accord Party in the state would merge with the APC ahead of the 2019 election with a view to wresting power from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the State.   Chief Tony Ezeagwu, while addressing newsmen in Asaba, said that the party had never been in negotiation with any political party to form a formidable opposition to dislodge the PDP from power in the state in 2019. Ezeagwu said: “I think it is a rumour. I am the state chairman of LP, so if there is any such thing and I am not aware, it is not true.”

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has urged Nigerians to stop apportioning blames but, rather work for things to positively turn around in the country.  Speaking at the 50th birthday thanksgiving service of Justice (Mrs) Excel Timi at the Living Faith Church, a.k.a. Winners Chapel, Asaba, Governor Okowa decried situation where leaders of the country were blamed for the country's woes without people working positively to turn things around. The Governor attended the service with his wife, Dame Edith; the Deputy Governor, Barr. Burutu Otuaro; Senator James Manager (Delta South), Hon. Victor Nwokolo (representing Ika Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives); Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya and Rt. Hon. Friday Osanebi respectively and a host of political office holders within and outside the state. According to Governor Okowa, "Nigerians are in pains, everything appears to be going wr...