BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

THE Presidential Amnesty Programme for militants among Niger Delta youths who laid down their weapons to give way to peace and development in the region, once again, took a centre-stage of activities at the House of Representatives on Thursday.

About 60 members of the Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC, stormed the National Assembly, to give strength to an earlier petition to the federal legislators over the exclusion of former Itsekiri militants from the Amnesty Programme.

Their complaints was that over 2, 000 Itsekiri youths  voluntarily surrendered their arms to the Federal Government on June 25,  2009  which was within the 60- day deadline, but were not invited to the programme.

From left: Hon. Griftson Omatsuli; the Akulagba of Warri Chief Ayirimiemami ; Spokesman of INYC, Mr Akaruse; Hon. Michael Didem and David Tonwe, during Public Petition Hearing on the non inclusion of formally armed Itsekiri Youths in the Post-Amnesty Programme held at National Assembly Photos: Gbemiga Olamikan

The youths, led by a patron of the council, Dr. Lucky Akuaruese were armed with a copy of their earlier petition, as well as, and a video showing clearly the affected youths surrendering their arms which included rocket launchers, AK 47s, Sub-Machine Guns, SMGs and several other automatic weapons, to buttress their claims.

The House Committee on Public Petitions prior to last Thursday’s public hearing  had invited the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta Affairs, Kingsley Kuku to appear before it.
Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions, Hon. Uzor Azubike who arrived the venue at about 1.45pm read all the necessary  sections of the constitution which empowers the committee to issue a warrant of arrest and other sanctions on public officials who fail to honour the committee’s invitation. The sections include  88 and 89.

However, before presenting his paper, Hon. Kuku made an  appeal  to members of the committee to switch off the CD which displayed how the arms were surrendered saying:

“I have  developed an emotional attachment to the whole exercise, watching this clip will definitely disturb my flow while making my presentation.”

Kuku in his presentation did not mince words when he declared that , “ I am just a boy who listens to his father once an instruction is given by his father. It is only the president who can include the Itsekiri youths in the Amnesty Programme. If I am asked to include them right now , I promise you that by 7am tomorrow, the youths will be included because they are qualified since they met the deadline.
“In  the past, my office had written to the President on this issue that the Itsekiri youths  should be included in the programme because we have a common problem bordering on poverty and suffer same deprivations”.

The Itsekiri youths, numbering over 60 had earlier that Thursday,  stormed the National Assembly venue of the on-going House of Representatives  investigative public hearing of the probe of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Special Adviser  on Niger Delta Affairs over the non-inclusion of Itsekiri former armed youths in the Amnesty Programme.

Their demands included  an immediate inclusion of over 2,000 Itsekiri youths in the Federal Government of Nigeria Amnesty Programme.

In   a presentation  read  by a patron of  INYC,Dr. Lucky Akuaruese     titled: ‘Petition over the non-incluson of formerly  armed Itsekiri youths who responded to the June 25, 2009 , Federal Government of Nigeria, FGN, Amnesty Proclamation into the Post Amnesty Programme’ , the aggrieved youths asked the Speaker of the House of  Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal to urgently look into the non-inclusion of their youths in the Amnesty Programme.
They argued in the petition  that the Itsekiri youths who obeyed the FGN’s call for truce were deliberately and wickedly excluded from the programme for no just reason by the Office of the  Special Adviser.

Sequel to this development, the House in plenary on Thursday March 29 had acknowledged the petition written by the  president of INYC and subsequently mandated the House Committee on Public Petitions to institute an investigative hearing into the allegations by the council.

The INYC further stated in the letter that “ if we ask ourselves to individually define the different specifics that can be identified as constituting the Niger Delta crises-a phrase that now assumes the status of a universal, we shall discover that the various unpleasant events , the collectivity which are now categorised as ‘Niger Delta crises’ began in Warri in 1997.

The ‘constituents’ of the Niger Delta Crises as the Causal Factor of the Amnesty Proclamation:

According to INYC, “the Niger Delta Crises, even though a phrase , its conceptualisation and application have however given it the status of a ‘universal within which consists different ‘particulars’.  In identifying these particulars , we must be quick to point out that we will reframe from beng judgmental, nor shall we bother ourselves with delving into their respective causal factors, that is, the different causes of the different crises, the collectivity of which are now being referred to and categorised as the Niger Delta Crises”.

He further explained that “without equivocation, what is being referred to as ‘Niger Delta Crises’ are the different events of destructive dimensions both in human and materials that took place in different parts of the region which started in Warri and its environs in march 1997 as manifested in the bloody inter-ethnic crises.

“The constituents of the Niger Delta Crises are concisely listed below and not in any particular order but all between 1997 and 2004.These include:

1.Itsekiri/Urhobo bloody confrontation in Warri urban.
2.Itsekiri /Ijaw blood bath in Warri and environs.

3. Ijaw/Ilaje/Yoruba) war in Ese-Odo Ilaje Local Government Council. Of Ondo State.

4. Ijaw/Bini confrontation in the riverine areas of Ovia South West axis of Edo state.

5. Ijaw/Ikwere confrontation in Rivers State
6. Ijaw/Ogoni confrontation in Rivers state.

7. The Ijaw/Ibibio battles in the Oquo-Ibeno areas of Akwa-Ibom State.

8. Ijaw/Urhobo bloody confrontations as manifested in the wars between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijo, Siama and Gbarigolor and Oboro and Olota.

9. Ijaw/Ilaja killings in the Binbioye axis of Burutu Local Government Council area of Delta state.

“Besides the above, there were other bloody incidences lagely of intra-ethnic pattern in the different communities of Bayelsa and Rivers State particularly in the Ijaw areas within this identified period. It was all these (among a few others) that are being categorised as the Niger Delta Crises.

“Let us briefly put forward two other constituents of the Niger Delta Crises, both of which are consequent on the collectivity of the above mentioned particulars. Briefly, when all these respective ‘wars’ due to several factors which include possible efforts of respective governments, federal inclusive and possibly the super ordinary of the principle of ‘balance terror’, there was no immediate defined visible effort from any quater (official or private ) to disarm members of the respective groups of ethnic militias.

“By 2006,  some of these groups of ethnic militias introduced two new ‘particulars’ to the universal Niger Delta crises. They include breaking of crude oil  pipes solely to get crude oil and other petroleum products for sale and kidnapping of foreign oil workers to obtain huge cash on ransoms.

“The second has significantly
experienced sub-phases such that all the states in the region are respectively reeling under kidnapping phenomenon such that an individual’s safety has significantly receded into the realm of dream”.

Hon Daniel Reyenieju representing Warri Federal constituency in a brief contribution praised Hon Kuku for admitting that the youths were eminently qualified to be part of the Amnesty Programme.

He said, “ when I met with Kuku in the past,  it was always combative but today, I am really impressed with his presentation.”

Click here to read more: Warri

Residents of a two storey building on mosheshe Street, Airport Road in Effurun came under a two hours armed robbery attack on Wednesday night with three persons sustaining gun shots injury and a six year old in critical condition.

Narrating their ordeal, one of the victim a 26 year old student of Bauchi Polytechnic said they were sleeping when the robbers stormed their apartment asking after their father. according to her, she told the robbers that their father was not around. they went in to the room and found her father, they came back to the parlour as they were about to shoot her younger sister, she ran and held her, before she knew it ,she was shot in both hands, while little Naomi Micah her six yr old younger sister was shot in her abdomen twice.

As at press time, the victims had already undergone surgery and were responding to treatment but Naomi is still in a critical condition because her large intestine and colon were blown off exposing her abdomen.

According to doctor victor Uregbu who described the incident as unfortunate, said.., Naomi will have to contend with the challenge of spooling through her abdomen for the next three months.

the land lord of the house said the armed robbers came at about 3am.he said a total cash of about three hundred thousand was collected from him including his choral beads. he lamented however that despite frantic calls made to the police, they never came to their rescue as they kept saying they were on their way for the 2hours the operation lasted.

Contacted, the DPO of Ekpan police division said he is aware of the incident and all hands are on deck to bring the perpetrators to book.

Click here to read more: Warri

Ughelli — The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Ughelli, Delta on Thursday said that it would take adequate steps to improve gas supply to the integrated power plants in the country.

Mr Mutiu Sumonu, the Managing Director of Shell made this known at the Utorogu gas plant when the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, visited the plant.

The minister was on a facility tour of the Utorogu plant managed by the company.

Sumonu said that it was already keying into the Federal Government’s 12 months gas emergency plan meant to boost power generation in the country.

“We at Shell are committed to realising government’s gas emergency plan so as to boost gas supply in the country,” he said.

He said that the current average production of the plant stood at 250 million metric standard cubic feet.

According to him, a new plant will soon be completed as part of its expansion plan.

He, however, said that some of the challenges facing the company to include illegal bunkering, unrest from host communities and ageing equipment…

Sumonu restated the commitment of SPDC to its corporate responsibilities to host communities.

Earlier, Allison-Madueke expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to improve gas supply and to ensure power stability.

The minister charged multinational companies and stakeholders in the sector to join hands with the government in order to realise the gas to power mission.

The Utorogu plant was commissioned in 1989 with a cluster of 11 wells. (NAN)

Click here to read more: Ughelli

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan says the ongoing expansion of the Asaba International Airport was aimed at meeting the requirements of the Aviation regulatory authorities to enable bigger planes land at the airport.

Speaking in Effurun while responding to the issue raised over the airport by the publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka at an on-going retreat tagged ‘Landmarks and Legacies’, Governor Uduaghan said with the success so far recorded in the use of the airport by smaller planes, people are now anxious to see bigger planes land at the airport.

According to him, “We are on target to make the Asaba International Airport meet the required standards set by the aviation authorities and we are doing everything necessary to ensure that larger planes can land there”.

Continuing, he said, “there is so much pressure for bigger planes to start landing at our airport and we needed to speed up the pace so that when the regulatory authorities come, they would see that we have done all we need to do”.

The Governor clarified that the regulatory authorities requested that the hills around the airport must be reduced as one of the requirements to be met before approval can be given to enable bigger planes land at the airport.

The Governor added that the demolition of the hills had nothing to do with the visit of dignitaries to the recently concluded South South Summit at Asaba.

In his words, “the contract to bring down the hills around the airport was not awarded because of the South South Summit, the contract had been awarded from the onset but the contractor was slow, so because of the time frame, we had to engage two other contractors to fast track the completion of the work”.

Explaining further, Dr. Uduaghan said the ongoing work to demolish the hills is at no additional cost to the total project sum as it was conceptualized from the beginning.

The Governor pointed out that apart from bringing down the hills, the project also included filling up areas that were below the level of the runway due to erosion problems in the terrain.

“We are not only demolishing the hills but we need to rebuild other areas around the airport  runway as well as the valley and the banks of the stream in the area to check the flooding and erosion problems there”, he added.

He disclosed that given the topography of the state capital, there was nowhere a four kilometer of land can be achieved without meeting an obstacle in the form of a hill, valley or river. Governor Uduaghan also spoke on measures being taken to improve on security in the state.

He said his administration was working with the security agencies to ensure that criminality was brought down and that people in the state can have a better sense of security.

He revealed that the Police in Delta State have been provided with some of the most modern security gadgets and vehicles to aid their campaign against criminals in the state but quickly added that Delta State does not have the worst criminal case scenario in the country.

Click here to read more: Asaba

LAGOS, May 19 (Xinhua) — The Nigeria Football Association (NFA) has named a 25-man squad for an invitational U-20 tournament in Cape Town, South Africa.

Spokesperson for the team Samm Audu disclosed this in a statement reaching Xinhua on Saturday, saying John Obuh, the Head Coach of the national under-20 men’s listed three goalkeepers, eight defenders, nine midfielders and five forwards for the tournament.

The tournament is scheduled to run from May 25 to June 3.

The team, also known as the Flying Eagles, has been drawn alongside Argentina, Ghana and hosts South Africa for the first round group matches.

The Flying Eagles won the inaugural edition of the competition last year and will begin their title defense against perennial rivals Ghana.

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Patricia Temitope Alabi (neeObayomi) is a household name in Nigeria gospel music scene. Born over forty years ago into a catholic family, her parents had received a prophecy when she was seven years old that she would be a “great minister of God”. The actress-turned -singer had paid her dues in the entertainment industry before finally locating her divine call in music. Her decision to dump the profession of make believe for the microphone, has earned her awards one of which is the current Best Gospel Musician in Nigeria. Senior Entertainment Correspondent, Ajibade Alabi spoke with her recently on diverse issues. Excerpts.

Who is Tope Alabi?
My name is Patricia Temitope Alabi. My mother is from Abeokuta, while my father is from Egbado, Imeko in Ogun State. I had my primary and post primary education in Ibadan, Oyo State. I read Mass Communication at the Polytechnic in Ibadan. I became born again through my husband. I was born and bred in the Catholic church, where my parents are strong members of that Faith.

In our home we were not used to getting closer to Jesus -I, mean they did not know what it means to be a born-again that time. So when I worked with my husband at Ebenezer Obey owned Decross recording studio, where he was a senior engineer, I used to go there for my home video sound tracks. He asked if I could sing in Yoruba and I told him I need to be a theatre girl and there is nothing I cannot do as far as entertainment is concerned. 

How did you meet your husband?
Like I said earlier, he was working at Decross as a senior engineer, and I used to go there to produce sound tracks for Korede Films. That is how we met.

What is the secret that has kept the marriage this far especially as the two of you are in the same profession?
Marriage is a good thing, but as I have said, my husband and I are  still friends till date. He does not have friends and neither do  I. We are lovers as well as a married couple. He is a wonderful man and the children are proud of him. They always go to him anytime they want to know something that I don t know

Did you ever plan to be a gospel singer or were you just diverted to it?
Actually, my mother used to tell me that when I was seven years old, some pastors met her and told her “Mama, you have one girl who is going to work for God. But because we are Catholic, my mother did not understand what they were talking about, she thought I was going to become a Reverend sister. I grew up and insisted that I was not going to be a Reverend sister and my mother objected. She insisted that I should go to a convent and become a sister.

But when I went to sing at my husband’s church, The Apostolic Church, Ogba, Lagos, the man of God (Pastor) made an alter call at the end of his sermon, and I asked my husband if I could go out. He said if I am convinced by the word of God, I should answer the altar call, thus I walked to the pulpit.

That was how I got born again. I gave my life to Jesus at The Apostolic Church, Ogba, Lagos. Though I have been going to churches to sing before then, it was because I just loved singing. I told people they should invite me if they have any program in their churches, promising to sing free of charge. I started receiving the vision of my divine call when I went into courtship with my husband. I would close my eyes and I will see people in gathering and I saw myself preaching to them. I told my husband what I saw and he told me maybe I will be a minister of God in future. He later advised that perhaps I should attend a Bible School.

So, these things kept on coming; at times as a dream or a vision, where a voice kept on talking to me that “I want you to work for me” I was always getting confused about the voice I was hearing. I thought it was a spirit. Later on, I went to meet one pastor who told me that “You are a minister of God” and I replied that I have heard it before.

Somebody later advised that I should put all my sound tracks into an album. I anticipated an escape route from all those people who were saying I am a minister of God. Later, High Waves Video Marks Chairman, Aina Kusoro, asked me to release an album, he told me he can help me to go to the studio that he wants to see what I can offer. He is from Yewa, while I am from Egbado. He is just like a brother to me. He gave me N170, 00.00.

When was that?
That was in 1996. He gave me the money. I can say he was my Angel, being the first person that said “You can do something, go on and do it”

What was the title of the album?
It was Baaba, Iwo Lake Pe.

Was that your first album?
No, my very first album was in 1994. But my very first gospel album was in 1996. The very popular album I released was Eji Ewuro, there was a film that was titled Ikoko Dudu, I did the movie sound track for Late Alade Aromire.

When we finished the movie, people liked the sound track, so Aromire turned the sound track into an audio CD. Then I started preaching to my colleagues on location because of their negative lifestyle. But many of them would not listen; they said that was their way of life on location.

Were you at anytime an actress?
Yes, I acted in about 50 movies, including  Funmilayo, Malomo, Abiku solgun deke, by Alade Aromire. I was the Malomo in parts 1, 2 and 3. But because people did not know me then, they will not even remember. I was Toyin Obayomi, not Tope Obayomi. So Toyin Obayomi cannot be linked with Tope Alabi.

Why did you change your name from Toyin to Tope?
I changed the name from Toyin to Tope when the Holy Spirit ministered to me that it was not a good name for me, so I changed it before I became popular.

Were there any challenges between then and now?
Yes, the challenges then were who was going to market me? Who was going to bail me out or which church is going to invite me? Challenges in the theatre world then were; they don’t want to use me in this film, please use me so that people will know me.

But when I moved into movie soundtrack business, the challenge there was which marketer was going to bring out my work? How am I going to sing in movies that people will know that I am good? But the challenge in gospel music then was which marketer was going to bail me out? Which church would invite me so that people will know that I am talented? What I am facing now is about what I wear that people will not say I am half naked. 

My current marketer (Galaxy) released a life performance: Amazing Grace, where City People gave me an award as The Best Gospel Singer for the Year. People started criticising me from churches, telling me that the way I dressed in that video was inappropriate.

They even said because I now apply make -up that I would go to hell. And funny enough I have been putting on earrings since I came out with Oore ti O Common, I have been putting on trousers to follow my husband wherever we go, except church programmes. But what about my husband, won’t I dress to satisfy him?

Where is your husband from?
My husband is from Kogi State. He is an Ebira man.

Does he complain?
No, he does not complain. He actually complains whenever I put on something like this (Iro and Buba). He prefers it when I wear western clothes. He will even come back home and tell me whatever he saw ladies put on outside that he will like me to wear. I can t be going out shabbily- dressed because I am singing gospel music.

You have released many albums, which of them will you say is your best?
I don t have any particular one that I can call my best. Even though many people picked Angeli Mi, as my best, to me, all my albums are good.

Is there any body you can say God used for you to blossom in your career?
If there is anybody that God used for my life as a whole not only in my career it is Pastor Ireti Ajanaku of Christ Revival Chapel International. God is really using him for me, I always give God glory for making me to meet him, and he is really man of God. And I pray God will continue to use him more.  

How rewarding has this job been?
The best of all the rewards I have got so far is the fact that people keep surrendering to Christ. My experience in America, Nigeria and the United Kingdom confirmed this and I am happy about it. You see, it is not all about money. If we are talking about money, I don t have money oh.

But feel God strongly wherever I perform and it is enough for me. There was a place I went to and one woman told me that God told her that I was singing from the inside of God. She said when people were suggesting names of artistes to invite to her church programme, she  was at a point confused.

Some were against her inviting me, but when she went into prayer on the Saturday preceding the Sunday over the matter, God gave her the go ahead to invite me. She said God showed me to her. But all the same, I bless God for everything.

Click here to read more: Entertainment

Air Nigeria is to be privatised within the next two years. 

It is expected that the airline would be on a firm footing by then. 

Chairman of the company, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, said the airline would focus more on international operations with scheduled flights to Dubai, Rome, Paris and Asian countries. 

Ibrahim, who spoke on Thursday night in London at a dinner to celebrate the company’s long haul flight to Gatwick Airport, said the Nigerian Stock Exchange has already invited Air Nigeria for listing. 

He said;:  Effective two years from now, we will be depositing Air Nigeria into your hands. What does that mean? Air Nigeria will now have to go PLC. It will now be an airline owned by Nigerians. I will sell my shares, and then you can buy some. Air Nigeria will be in the market. So, we will meet at annual general meetings, and then we will discuss. So, that is our plan. By then, Air Nigeria will be fully Nigerian. 

“Five years from now, Air Nigeria will be flying a minimum of 15 big jets (wide body aircraft). There is no continent we won’t be flying to five years from now. This year, we have gone places. This is Europe, we are here. When you wake up in the morning in Lagos, you can fly to any part of the world on Air Nigeria 

“This year, we have been invited to come and be listed under the special registry of the Stock Exchange. So, two years from now, Air Nigeria will be in the market. You will be a shareholder, I will be a shareholder. It will be our airline.” 

He said the challenges facing the aviation sector could be tackled if proactive steps were taken by all stakeholders to address them and put the international airlines to the test. 

“Our plan is to focus on international operations as an airline. No airline succeeds by flying only domestic. If an aircraft flies to Abuja 10 times a day, it loses its life cycle 10 times. In other words, it is 10 times closer to a C-check. All the major international airlines, like British Airways, AirFrance and KLM, make profit by focusing on international operations. 

“British Airways bought BMI for over £176 million a year ago. It has about 10 aircraft. BMI focuses on domestic operations. But now British Airways is saying that if they cannot get a buyer, any moment from now, they are going to liquidate it. All these big airlines have come to realised that running domestic airlines is not profitable. 

“We will take delivery of another aircraft in 20 days from now-An Airbus A330-200. We will then have two aircraft in our international operations. And this aircraft will be deployed to the Lagos-Dubai route. Part of the international routes we will deploy these aircraft to are one, Rome. Data available from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority shows that 58,000 travelled to Rome last year. Italian airline-Alitalia carried only 27,000 of these people. So, we will be flying Lagos-Rome-Paris. 

“We have got government approval to fly to Rome, Paris, Johannesburg and Dubai. We will start flying to Dubai before the end of this quarter. “ 

He said Nigerians stand to gain a lot by patronising the airline, saying: “There are a lots of things. Apart from the varieties of meals, every business class passenger will have access to Ipads. With that they have an array of entertainment to choose from. For the business class passengers, our Lagos-London flight is the best place to relax after all the stress of business. It is quite an unending experience. 

Click here to read more: Entertainment

By Ime Bassey Kate  Obodo
Coach of Wikki Tourist of Bauchi, Ladan Bosso has heaped praises on his young team for their form and performances since the commencement of the second half of the season.

Bosso who told Inside Out Premier League that the players’ performances has attracted the big spenders in the league, said he would be happy to see his wards plying their trade in the best teams in league and also outside the country.

“I am very excited to see my players being sort for big clubs in the league. It was interesting to build a team with eighty percent of amateur players that are plying their trade in the professional scene for the first time and they have proven themselves worthy,” Coach Bosso said. “I only crying to the State government to pay the players and technical crew sign-on fees this season. We have worked carefully for the points earned in the league. Well, we appreciate their effort in paying all our match bonuses since the season started, but the sign-on fees helps they players settle family issues,” Coach Bosso pleaded.

Ofoedu wants to shoot Rangers to league victory

Nigeria Premier League (NPL) top scorer and Enugu Rangers striker,  Chikeluba Ofoedu has said  he would continue to score  goals so as to  help his side  lift the coveted league  trophy this season.

Ofoedu,who led on the scorers chart with 10 goals but was overtaken  reclaimed the position when he overtook Mustapha Babadidi of Gombe United during Week 20 rescheduled matches.

“My goals secret can be attributed to hard work. I have been working on my scoring form since the pre-season. I knew the onus lies on me to score goals for my team and now my extra work (training) is paying off,” he said.

Ofoedu added that “my coaches have really helped me come this far. I have always adhered to their instructions and I am always ready to learn more. I believe it is my time and no defender can stop me from getting the goals,” Ofoedu boasted.

He disclosed that  his wish this season is to be injury free  so as to be able to achieve his target by scoring  goals to help his team lift the trophy at the end of the season.

“I  don’t want to play under pressure. I am taking the games as they come, but I am sure I will score goals this season. My paramount target is to score goals that would help my team lift the trophy at the end of the season,” Ofoedu said.

Cooreman angry with Warri Wolves players

Warri Wolves coach, Maurice Cooreman, has expressed disappointment on the performance of the national team players in his team against South African club, Black Leopards last weekend.

Wolves  crashed out of the CAf Confederation Cup on away goals’ rule following a 0-2 loss in the second leg against the PSL team, having won the first leg in Warri 3-1 in April.

“It was a disgraceful performance from my players. We won the first leg 3-1 and we just needed to play well and score at least a goal but my players didn’t do that,” he said

“Some of our players are in the national team and this result is just unacceptable. The national team players (in Wolves) disappointed me the most, but that is football.”

The former Kaduna United manager now wants his team to focus on the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) and salvage their season by fighting to finish among the top three.

“Now we have to go back and work hard and make sure we finish in the top three. That’s the only way we can win a place back to continental club football,” a disappointed Cooreman remarked.

Click here to read more: Warri

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Written by Alphonsus Agborh, Asaba

Saturday, 19 May 2012

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The robbery incident that put the Delta State Police Command on its toes on May 14, 2012 has left memories that cannot easily be forgotten.

That is the day the Command aptly described in its history as a dark day, having lost six of its men to dare devil bandits.

At Igbodo, a sleepy community on the Benin-Agbor-Asaba express way, the rampaging bandits killed the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Abraka, SP Steve Chigbue, crime buster ASP John Danladi from Ogwashi-Uku division and others in a fierce gun duel after taking over the high way for more than one hour.

Shortly after the onslaught, the gang moved to Ibusa, near Asaba and attacked two commercial banks. The community was turned into a theatre of war as superior guns from the criminals were used, leaving behind a number of casualties while the bandits carted away millions of naira from the two banks.

Numbering over 30, the robbers were armed to the teeth with such weapons like rocket launcher, rocket propelled grenade and several purpose and assault rifles, magazines and AK47 rifles. Following the heavy bombardment, no doubt, the command had to roll out its “Beast” to deal with the situation.

While the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba and some of his officers were away to Warri to receive the First Lady of the Federation, Dame Patience Jonathan, who was on a visit to the state, the robbers perfected their plan to strike. Kingpins of the group claimed they came from Rivers State. They admitted they were militants.

How the police officers died

On that fateful day, at about 10:30a.m, a crack team of detectives from Ogwashi-Uku division trailed the band of robbers cum kidnappers to their hideout in Igbodo. On getting to the dual carriage way in Igbodo, heavy gun duel ensued between the detectives and the marauding dare devil robbers.

For over an hour, the expressway was deserted as motorists had to park their vehicles. The sounding of gunshots rented the air, sending jitters down the spines of travellers.

Villagers at Igbodo went into hiding at first, only to re-appear to witness casualties and the blood that flowed on their soil.

Sad enough, the gallant DPO who was on his way to Asaba for an official matter along with three other  persons and a female civilian decided to clear the way for other commuters to follow.

Unknown to him that trouble was lurking around, the bandits had laid an ambush and soon after, the team was caught up in a web of gun shots. All the occupants of the official Hilux van were shot dead instantly.

Sad enough, again, the team from Ogwashi-Uku led by John Danladi, a no- nonsense police officer, who dared armed robbers at any time, was attacked and in the ensuing encounter Danladi fell.

However, while the attention of the Police and civilians was at Igbodo, the bad boys had made a detour to Ibusa. However, the Police Command successfully reinforced and mobilised its personnel who displayed exceptional courage and dexterity by confronting the robbers headlong.

In conjunction with the vigilante groups and youths of Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku, four of the robbers were gunned down, three arrested while others fled with bullet wounds. A clergyman who was coming out of the bank was hit by bullet.

Luck ran out on two of the robbers, who were captured in the process, as an irate mob in Ibusa set them ablaze.

Those arrested and paraded by the police included one Williams Stephen Odili, 35, who claimed to be a native of Aboh, Delta State.

Odili is believed to be on the wanted list of robbers who struck at a bank in Umunede and other places sometime ago. Speaking incoherently, Odili said he was introduced into armed robbery by one Emeka.

Odili was captured in a compound when he attempted to run away as he found himself in a fix, in a situation where the vigilante group in the town barricaded all routes in Ibusa. The others are Sunday Ojade, 26, and Princely Oba, 32.

According to the police boss, efforts are on to arrest the fleeing die-hard gang members.

Items recovered from the robbers include 94 loaded magazines of AK47 rifles, 3 bullet proof vests belonging to security operatives. One rocket launcher, one rocket propelled grenade, five AK47, one 9mm, 2 astava pistol and 11 rounds of live ammunition, and 3,550 rounds of 7.62 ammunitions.

Also recovered were the sum of over N2million, one Toyota Hummer Bus with registration number (Lagos) YB58MUS, 2 HP Laptops, one network PVR and assorted charms.

For show of gallery, CP Aduba gave a personal donation of N500,000 to the crack team that confronted the gang while calling on other communities to emulate the e-spirit  de corp of Ibusa and Ogwashi vigilantes.

Pained by what befell the command, the police boss, Aduba, said what happened, “was a poser for all of us. We are repackaging a new security measure to confront them (robbers) as most of them are from outside the state. We are on course.”

At Ogwashi-Uku, the community was in a mourning mood as people gathered in groups while at the police station, the death of Danladi, a gallant police officer, elicited tears among his colleagues.

Danladi had received several awards from institutions including the Police Command for his gallantry and being a factor for the people in Aniocha South in general and Ogwashi-Uku in particular to sleep at night with eyes closed.

Travellers along the different routes in the area had had cause not to worry, on the assurance that Danladi and his team were usually handy.

The police officer was ordained an Evangelist at Tree of Life Church in Ogwashi-Uku just last Sunday.

ASP Danladi, who was in a happy mood on that day, along with his family members, relations from his native home in Kaduna State and other guests said: “I decided today to accept this obligation and make heaven as my total golden last place of eternal rest for the believers.”

Speaking to newsmen after the ordination, Danladi said that he would expand his scope by preaching to criminals to have a change of heart while he would also not rest on his oars in carrying out his official responsibilities.

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SPECIAL
By Babajide Alaka

The Heineken Champions Planet is located in the heart of Victoria Island. It is a cosy duplex filled with football memorabilia and beautiful hostesses who make sure that fans of the beautiful game never want for anything on match days.

In football-speak, the Heineken Champions Planet is football heaven. It is where the coolest fans go to unwind and support their teams playing in the world’s biggest club competition.

In this article, Goal.com brings you a profile of some legendary Nigerian footballers that have graced the Heineken Champions Planet to share their wealth of experience.

Mutiu Adepoju, the ‘Headmaster’ of the 1989 Damman Miracle where the Nigerian Under-20 team came from four goals down to the Soviet Socialist Republic to win on penalties. He also scored the winning goal against the USA in the semi-finals against Kasey Keller.

Adepoju had a long career but it never really hit the heights that people thought of him. A good box-to-box midfielder with a powerful header and a good shot, his career highlight will be the match against Spain at the 1998 World Cup where he scored the first equaliser. Nigeria went on to win 3-2. He was a member of the 1994 Super Eagles that won the Africa Cup of Nations and participated in the World Cup for the first time. He also went to the 2002 World Cup but did not play any minute which must have been a huge disappointment.

He is now the general manager of Nigeria Premier League side Shooting Stars Football Club of Ibadan.

Emmanuel Amuneke is the first Nigerian to play for the revered Catalan side, Barcelona. Amuneke was the quintessential left-winger with a lot of pace, trickery and a bullet shot. His main claim to fame will be the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations final match against Zambia in which he scored the brace in a 2-1 victory in only his first appearance in the tournament. This earned him the African footballer of the year award in 1994. He scored two goals at the 1994 World Cup and scored the winning goal in a 3-2 defeat of Argentina at the 1996 Olympic Games.

Amuneke also played for Zamalek of Egypt, Sporting Lisbon of Portugal where he played arguably his best football. When he transferred to Barcelona, he was seriously hampered by injuries and he stopped being an offensive player into an overlapping full-back in Barcelona’s 3-5-2 formation. He is now assistant coach of Nigeria’s U-17 national team.

The ‘Prince of Monaco’ was discovered as an exciting winger in the Under-17 national team at Scotland 1989. After the championship he was transferred to Belgium. In Scotland, Ikpeba played as one of two wingers, with a licence to change wings with Jide Oguntuase –where he scored three goals.

From there his career took an upward trajectory through Belgium but he really made his name in France with AC Monaco under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger, yes the same one. Here he won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994, played at Nigeria’s first World Cup, won Olympic gold in 1996 and won the 1997 African footballer of the year award. He also played in Germany with Borussia Dortmund but it was a frustrating stint under coach Mattias Sammer. He played four games in two seasons.

He is now part of the Nigeria Football Federation’s Technical Committee while he also does football punditry on cable channel, SuperSport.

Austin Okocha will live long in the folklore of Fenerbahce. There are so many sides to this gifted Nigerian footballer. Arguably the most gifted Nigerian footballer of his generation, he played in the Fenerbahce team that beat Manchester United at Old Trafford. But he shot to fame in 1993 in a match against Algeria at the National Stadium in Lagos. Algeria had taken the lead but he equalised with a sublime free-kick and thus began his romance with Nigerian fans.

He never won the African Player of the year award but he won so many other accolades. Okocha was part of the all-conquering 1994 Eagles that won the Africa Cup of Nations, played at the World Cup and won the 1996 Olympic gold.

It was when he moved to England to play for Bolton Wanderers that his status really increased. He led Nigeria to the 2002 World Cup and scored the 2000th goal at the Nations Cup in 2004. His greatest disappointment will be being unable to help Nigeria qualify for the 2006 World Cup as the Eagles were overhauled by Angola on a head-to-head ruling.

Peter Rufai is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers to have come out of Nigeria. He did not perform wonders at his clubs abroad but was always a colossus for the national team especially at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations where he saved the country’s blushes in the semi-final penalty shoot out with Cote D’Ivoire and the World Cup where he shone like a million stars. He played in many clubs in Holland, Portugal and in Spain where he played with Deportivo La Coruna.

He was called from holiday in 1998 to attend the World Cup, where his form was at the lowest and he will never forget the 4-1 humbling received at the hands of Denmark. Rufai was the first Nigerian goalkeeper to play professional football when he joined Dragons FC of Benin Republic.

West will live long in the memory of Italian football fans as a hard-tackling defender. In a league famed for brutish defenders, West carved a special niche as one who took no quarters. He was a member of the Auxerre team that got to the quarter final of the Champions League and on that basis transferred to Inter where he played with Ronaldo.

His career high point will have to be winning the 1996 Olympics football gold medal. He finished his career in Germany when his contract with Kaiserslautern was cancelled after he went AWOL. He is now a full-time pastor with a church in Milan.

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