News
Wike’s Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, Ejekwu sabotaging governor’s effort – Elders
Rivers State Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Sir Sunny Ejekwu has been accused of sabotaging governor Nyesom Wike’s peace effort around communities in Rivers State.
In a statement signed by Chief. Eze Dennis Orji, Chairman of Nvakaohia-Rumuekpe Council of Chiefs and five other traditional and community leaders on Wednesday in Port-Harcourt, alledged that some leaders were on Wednesday coerced by the Commissioner into signing a memorandum of understanding with Total E&P Nigeria Limited contrary to their will as it poses threat to peace and stability of the host communities.
The leaders pleaded with the governor to caution the Commissioner who they alledged, was threatening them for daring to raise issues they were not comfortable with before signing the controversial MOU.
The statement reads in full:
“We the Chiefs, Elders, Stakeholders, Women, Youth and Community Development Committees CDCs of Nvakaohia-Rumuekpe in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State made up of Imogu, Ekwutche and Ovelle wish to call on our leader and defender, His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike CON to call his Commissioner for Chieftancy and Community Affairs to order and direct him to stay away from Nvakaohia Rumuekpe engagement with Total E&P Nigeriatd, if all he wishes is to plunge the peace loving Community into crisis as he is currently doing.
“The Commissioner for Chieftancy and Community Affairs, Sir Sunny Ejekwu had sent us threat messages, compelling and coercing us to sign a purported Memorandum of Understanding MOU on Wednesday 15th June 2021 with Total E&P Nigeria Ltd against our will.
“The Commissioner is on a mission to sabotage and undermine the effort of the Governor to promote host Community rights and entitlements with International Oil multinationals in the state and Nvakaohia-Rumuekpe will not fall for it.
“Nvakaohia Rumuekpe Community through its representatives had negotiated an MOU with Total E&P Ltd, but we wrote to the Company that the signing of the said MOU should be put off till further notice.
“This is to enable both parties to properly interface with Total E&P Ltd on a widely publicised petition we wrote to the Company through the Integrity Friends for Truth and Peace Initiative TIFPI, which demands include Remediation, Compensation for years of neglect, humanitarian intervention etc for the devastation of the Community caused by Total E&P Nigeria Ltd.
“Information available to us is that Total E&P Nigeria Ltd in a meeting held somewhere in New GRA Port Harcourt, compromised the Commissioner for Chieftancy and Community Affairs Sir Sunny Ejekwu an Ikwerre man with millions of Naira and promised him some major running contracts if he succeeds to do thier bidding and undermine the interest of Nvakaohia Community which the Company has destroyed.
They pleaded with the State Governor to intervene without delay as the Commissioner has.made up his mind to fight them.
“The action of the Commissioner, no doubt is a clear case of conspiracy and compromise to frustrate our agitation.
“The Commissioner, Sir Sunny Ejekwu, in alliance with some top management officials of Total E&P Nigeria Ltd who seeks to divide and destroy our Community has threatened to unleash mayhem and launch an attack as well as frame up and arrest Nvakaohia Rumuekpe Community leaders should we fail to do according to his dictates.
“It is a travesty and most unfortunate that the Commissioner, an Ikwerre son who should know better, has allowed his vested interest to make him an agent of intimidation and desperate for whatever Total E&P Nigeria Ltd may have promised him so they can ostensibly impose a MOU implementation Committee on the people of Nvakaohia Rumuekpe against our wish.
“We believe that our dear Governor, His Excellency Nyesom Wike will not tolerate any act aimed at disturbing the fragile peace in our Community which is yet recovering from a major crisis as the Community Affairs Commissioner Mr. Sunny Ejekwu is planning to do.
“As a peace-loving community, it is our position that this process must be voluntary and multilateral. We advise Total E&P Nigeria Ltd to desist from their divisive tendencies and seat with our Community through the facilitation of the Integrity Friends for Truth and Peace Initiative TIFPI which has been donated with the Power of Attorney to facilitate and negotiate with Total E&P Ltd on the demands made in our petition.
“This hurried plan to sign the MOU is only aimed at circumventing and manipulating the process to undermine our original demands.
“Finally, we call on the Security agencies, the international Community, to investigate the Rivers State Commissioner for Chieftancy and Community Affairs Mr. Sunny Ejekwu and his Co-conspirators in the top Management of Total E&P Nigeria Ltd who want to plunge NVAKAOHIA-RUMUEKPE into another crisis for their selfish gains.
“We are ready for the Commissioner to come and kill all of us and should there be any breakdown of Law and order in our Community, the Commissioner of Chieftancy and Community Affairs Mr. Sunny Ejekwu along with his allies in Total E&P Nigeria Ltd should be held responsible” the statement concluded.
The Northern Senators Forum has expressed its sadness over the lynching of travelers in Uromi, Edo State, saying that they were taken aback over the gruesome killing of innocent Nigerians because of the zone where the victims came from.
The Forum was reacting to the attack that led to death of individuals on 27th March, 2025 while travelling to the Northern part of the country after they were tragically stereotyped as Fulani kidnappers and brutally murdered in a despicable manner.
The Forum in a statement issued by its Chairman, Abdulaziz Yar’adua strongly condemn the killing and described it as a heinous act which must be investigated with the culprits brought to book.
It read: “We strongly condemn this heinous act, which is a clear violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims. We urge the Edo State Government to take immediate action to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of this gruesome murder.
“We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for directing the police and other security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident, with a view to arresting the culprits.
“This swift action demonstrates the government’s commitment to upholding justice and protecting the rights of all citizens.
“As stated in Section 41 of the Nigerian Constitution, every citizen has the right to freedom of movement and residence throughout the country. No citizen can be expelled from or refused entry into Nigeria. We must uphold these fundamental principles and ensure that all citizens are treated with dignity and respect.
“We call on the Edo State Government, the security agencies, and all stakeholders to work together to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. We must promote a culture of tolerance, understanding, and peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians.”
The Ex-Head of Service of Rivers State, George Nwaeke has revealed how the embattled Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara ordered bombing of the State House of Assembly complex in 2023 to avoid impeachment moves by legislators loyal to Chief Nyesom Wike.
The governor who was suspended from office in the heat of crisis rocking the State however, swiftly denied the allegation and urged the public to disregard it.
The former HoS who resigned from office recently gave the revelation during a press briefing on Friday in Port Harcourt, adding that bag of money was allegedly handed over to the former House of Assembly leader, Edison Ehie, who later became Fubara’s Chief of Staff to attack the Assembly complex located along Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.
He said, “First, it all started with the Rivers State House of Assembly, where Governor Siminalayi Fubara directed his Chief of Staff (Edison Ehie) to burn down the Assembly to avert his impeachment. That evening, Edison was in Government House with two other boys, including the former Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA, one Chijioke.
“I was there with them when a bag of money was handed over to Edison for that operation, though I do not know the amount inside. I want to tell the people of Rivers State today that the House of Assembly Complex on Moscow Road was deliberately brought down by Edison Ehie under the instructions of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. I challenge him to an open confrontation, and I will provide more details.
“A day after that incident, I almost resigned, but I was very scared because I knew the power of a sitting governor. He knew that I was aware of the whole plan and that I was uncomfortable with the unconscionable act and his deliberate posture of innocence.
“Another attempt was also made to destroy the residential quarters of the House of Assembly members. If not for the press conference held there by Rivers youths, Rivers elders, and National Assembly members, that would have been another barbaric demolition in Rivers State.
“I realised that they actually wanted to demolish that second building because, weeks later, he personally told me that if he had known earlier, he would have pulled down their hall before targeting the residential quarters of the Assembly. He didn’t realise they had such a beautiful hall where they are now holding their sittings.
“I was shocked and asked myself: how could a man who wants to lead his people be destroying state assets and wasting public funds on a needless ego fight?”
Nwaeke stated that he resigned voluntarily, countering speculations that he was sacked or pressured to leave.
“With the load of misinformation in print and electronic media, I have chosen to set the record straight.
“I was not sacked, nor was I pressured to resign; I did it willingly from the depth of my heart,” he clarified.
Nwaeke further alleged that another attempt was made to destroy the residential quarters of the House of Assembly members but was thwarted by a press conference held by Rivers youths, elders, and National Assembly members.
According to him, Fubara had openly expressed a desire to demolish more state property, raising concerns about his leadership style.
He also claimed that Fubara had made comments about using the Ijaw people to influence Nigeria’s presidency, referencing control over oil pipelines and potential disruptions.
Reacting, Fubara denied the allegations levelled against him, asking Nigerians to disregard them.
The governor described Nwaeke’s allegations as “laughable” in a statement he signed on Friday.
“The truth is that Dr. Nwaeke has been compromised, and whatever he is saying is only aimed at fulfilling his promise to those who may have paid or coerced him to lie against me.
“I call on all well-meaning Nigerians and the good people of Rivers State to disregard everything said by Dr. Nwaeke as they are mere desperate attempts to discredit me and my administration, and undermine the peace process by Mr. President,” he said.
Overland Airways, Nigeria’s longest serving private domestic airline is pleased to announce the resumption of flight services from Abuja to Jalingo and return. Overland Airways has also introduced Lagos to Jalingo flights through Abuja.
Overland Airways has been the pioneer airline on the route for years but flight services were temporarily suspended in November 2024 due to expansion work at the airport. The airline is now set to reconnect the two cities providing passengers with convenient and reliable travel options.
Effective April 3, 2025, Overland Airways will resume three (3) weekly flights on the Abuja-Jalingo-Abuja route. The flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays using Overland Airways’ brand-new Embraer 175 aircraft. Flights will depart Abuja to Jalingo at 10:00am and Jalingo to Abuja at 11:30am.
Passengers across Overland Airways network including Lagos, Akure, Ibadan, Minna and Ilorin, amongst others can connect to Jalingo through our hub in Abuja.
Capt. Edward Boyo, Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Executive of Overland Airways says: “We are excited to reintroduce our Abuja-Jalingo-Abuja services which will not only enhance connectivity but also boost economic activities in Taraba State in particular and the Northeastern region of Nigeria in general. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Governor of Taraba state, His Excellency Dr. Agbu Kefas for his unwavering support and commitment to the development of the Danbaba Suntai Airport. We would like to also thank our customers for their patience and understanding and assure them of our usual excellent customer services.”
Jalingo has been a long existing route for Overland Airways, and for the very first time, Overland Airways will be operating our brand-new Embraer 175, a dual-class 88-seater modern jet aircraft featuring Premium class seats with spacious legroom and the regular Economy class on this route. We are keen on providing our Jalingo travellers with unparalleled convenience and comfort.
Overland Airways service offering has evolved from an all-turboprop fleet to a mixed fleet with the introduction of brand-new Embraer E175 jets. In October 2024, Overland Airways renewed its IOSA safety certification for the 5th consecutive time reaffirming its position as a safe and leading African carrier.
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