Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012—11
Vanguard reporter's wife, geologist kidnapped BY EMMA AMAIZE & SAMUEL OYADONGHA
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KU—SUSPECTED kidnappers, yesterday, at Eku, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, abducted Mrs. Marian Onoyume, wife of Vanguard correspondent in Rivers State, Mr. Jimitota Onoyume. Also, gunmen in a dawn attack in the coastal settlement of Ekpekiri in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, yesterday, reportedly kidnapped a renowned geologist, Chief Betrand Douglas. Mrs. Onoyume, a teacher, was driving out of her residence between 8.30am and 9.00am with
her two children in a Nissan Quest bus, when four gunmen, who were apparently loitering around the area, seized her. The gunmen reportedly threatened and chased her two daughters out of the vehicle before whisking her away. The children, aged nine and seven, were being taken to school. A source said the kidnappers fled, with her blindfolded, through Salubi area of Eku.
‘We're investigating’
Police spokesperson in the state, Mr. Charles Muka, told Vanguard when contacted, that the police were investigating the incident. Mr. Onoyume said the
kidnappers later called him on phone with a line belonging to his daughter, but did not discuss anything with him. He pleaded with security agents in the state to trace the kidnappers and ensure the release of his wife. In a text message forwarded to top security officials, the troubled journalist said: “Good morning. I am Jimitota Onoyume, the Rivers State correspondent of Vanguard newspaper. “I got a call that my wife, Mrs. Marian Onoyume, was kidnapped minutes ago at our residence in Eku, Ethiope East Local Government Area, while she was about driving out. “The kidnappers were
four men and armed. They drove towards Salubi area. Kindly help please. The vehicle in a Nissan Quest, chassis n u m b e r , 4N2DN11W4RD829149, engine number, VQ992501A and registration number, 988 Benin.”
NUJ Chairman reacts
Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in the state, Mr. Norbert Chiazor, told Vanguard: “Onoyume contacted me about the kidnap of his wife. I contacted the Commissioner of Police and he told me that his men were already working on the matter. “I pray that they release her soon, we are journalists. We do not
have money to give to any kidnapper, and we are only managing ourselves.”
Geologist abducted
The kidnapped geologist in his sixties, informed sources told Vanguard, owned Sart Nigeria Limited, an oil field laboratory that specialises in pause behaviour and reservoirs management studies in the Niger Delta. It was also learnt that the victim had been elected to be conferred with a chieftaincy title of Ojoko in Nembe Kingdom. The armed gunmen, it was gathered, stormed the community through the waters and headed
straight to the home of the victim. Douglas, a Port Harcourt-based businessman, had reportedly traveled to Nembe for the burial rites of one of his brothers, when he was abducted.
Gunfight
Sources from the area told Vanguard that there was an exchange of gunfire between his security details and the armed men, but it could not be ascertained if anybody was harmed. State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Fidelis Odunna, confirmed the incident. He said men of the anti-kidnapping squad had been deployed to the area.
ASUSS begs Oshiomhole over sacked teachers BY SIMON EBEGBULEM
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PROMO: From left— Bolanle Adekoya, National Lottery Reg. Commission, Abuja; Mr. Funwa Akinmade, Head of Product, Ecobank; Mr. Famous Ajemrona, Chief Regional Officer, Edo/Delta, and Mrs Nwogu Oragbon, Ecobank Area Manager, Port Harcourt, at the second draws of Ecobank WIN BIG promo in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Investment hits $2bn in C-River BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU
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ALABAR—CROSS River State government has announced that the total volume of investments from different companies in the last five years in the state is in excess of $2 billion, while over 300 companies had visited the state for business. Special Adviser to Governor Liyel Imoke on Investment Promotion, Mr. Gerald Adah, who disclosed this during the inauguration of the Calaro, Ibiae and Biase Oil Palm Plantations in Akamkpa Local Government Area, yesterday, said the plantations will be managed by Wilmar International Limited, in collaboration with PZ Cussons.
ENIN—AS Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State took oath of office for his second term yesterday, secondary school teachers in the state, under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Secondary School, ASUSS, have appealed to the governor to recall the teachers recently sacked over alleged neglect of duties. In a communiqué
Constitution review: C/River elders call for local government autonomy BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU
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ALABAR—CONCERNED elders and stakeholders in Cross River State have called on the National Assembly to remove the control of local government funds from state governors. They also called for abrogation of Joint Allocation account between state and local governments. According to them, state governors have made it impossible to feel the impact of local government administration. Speaking at the public session on the review of the 1999 Constitution organised by the House of Representatives, elders and
stakeholders from Obubra/ Etung Constituency of the state expressed dismay over the alleged overbearing influence of state governments towards the control of allocations for local governments. Speaking through Mr. T. Mgban, the elders said local government administration remained the closest to the grassroots but regretted that most states governors had taken total control of council funds. They called for the enactment of laws that would stop governors from tampering with council funds. Besides, the stakeholders called for a defined tenure for
elected local government chairmen and councillors in the constitution as well as financial autonomy and independence for state Houses of Assembly as was the case in the National Assembly. They called for the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions, SIEC, which they said had brought more pain than blessing to the Nigerian nation and a threat to democracy as the governors used the platform to install their cronies and stooges in the various council areas. The issue of creation of additional state in the South-East caused division as many constituencies voted for the creation of additional state.
Obubra/Etung Constituency rejected it, claiming that it would affect their agitation for the creation of Ogoja State.
jointly signed by its Vice President, Bodrick Ighalo, and Administrative Secretary, Monday Anigala, weekend in Benin, the union expressed dismay at the “military approach” in the recent dismissal of some teachers over allegations of “absenteeism and dereliction of duties.” ASUSS also faulted the decision of the state government to suspend the recruitment of 500 teachers in the state, following allegation of fraud that trailed the recruitment. It said though the action of the perpetrators was unacceptable, the fraud was caused by staff of the Post-Primary Education Board and not the teachers, who had already been employed. The union then appealed to the state government to withdraw all sack letters and sanctions issued to teachers in the state.