Connect with us

News

We want to do things differently, says Onochie, NDDC Board Chairman

Published

on

Spread the love

Chairman, Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Lauretta Onochie, has declared that the Commission under her watch will no longer be for just a few people but for the entire Niger Delta.

Onochie, who made the declaration on Friday during a courtesy visit to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel at the Government House in Uyo, also said that the new Board of the Commission was determined to do things differently.

“We want to do things differently.  NDDC will no longer be for just a few people.  We want to serve the entire Niger Delta.  We are here to ask that you support us as we do the right things,” she told the governor, who was represented by his deputy, Moses Ekpo.

Onochie, who is in the Akwa Ibom state capital for a three-day NDDC Board and Management Retreat, assured the governor that theCommission would not be partisan but would strive to serve the Niger Delta.  

One thing we ask from you is your support.  We appeal to all and sundry to desist from pressuring us o do things in the same old way that has not helped the Niger Delta.  We are determined to do things differently.  But the elite must desist from pressuring us to do wrong things.  We plead that you give us breathing space to do things differently,” she said.

Responding, governor Emmanuel said it wasso soothingto hear the new NDDC Board Chairman give assurance that you will workwith us, irrespective of party affiliation, for the benefit of our people.

Maduka College Advert

For that, he said, “we will collaborate, we will work with you to ensure that you succeed in this gigantic assignment.”

Make a Difference in Niger Delta, Minister charges Board

Meanwhile, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, ObongUmana Okon Umana, has charged that the members of the Governing Board of the NDDC, to establish a template for effective take off in the task to make a positive impact on the lives of the people of the Niger Delta region.

Giving the charge at the NDDC Board and Management Retreat, the Minister reminded the board members that the people of the Niger Delta region and Nigerians were looking up to them to make a difference.

Umana also urged the Governing Board to ensure that the Management Retreat was used to discuss and address issues around the NDDC Act, the Public Procurement Act and other key issues bordering on accountability and transparency.

Before he formally declared the Retreat open, the Minister remarked that it was meant to equip the Board and Management with relevant information to play their various roles to ensure that the NDDC lives up to its mandate of fast-tracking the sustainable development of the Niger Delta region.

The Minister declared: “I trust that this new board, made up of experienced professionals, will not fail, especially with the confidence reposed in them.”

He underscored the importance of some of the topics such as: “Essentials of the Public Procurement Act; “Overview of the National Strategy on Public Service Reforms and Critical Issues in Public Service Reforms and “Guidelines to Accounting Procedures and Imperatives in Ministries, Departments and Agencies.”

Earlier in his opening remarks, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku assured that the Governing Board was set to take the Commission to greater heights, stating: “We will soon roll out plans for developing the Niger Delta region. We will explore new areas of partnerships.”

The NDDC boss observed that the Commission recently inaugurated a committee on Public, Private Partnership, PPP, charged with exploring sustainable relationships which will impact positively on the people of the region.  

According to him, “The PPP Committee is expected to review all the Commission’s existing partnerships as well as explore new partnerships that will result in enduring regional projects.”

Ogbuku said that the Committee will “identify, pursue and secure alternative sources of funding for the Commission’s projects and programmes,” as well as “draw up and adopt projects and programmes funding templates.”

Speaking on the setting for the retreat, the NDDC Managing Director said: “Uyo was chosen because we perceive Akwa Ibom State as a window of development in the Niger Delta region.”

News

Security guard kidnaps employer’s two children, demands ransom

Published

on

The abducted children
Spread the love

A private security guard has escaped with two kids from his employer in Minna, with the police suspecting abduction.

The security guard, named Sani Abdulrahaman, a Fulani by tribe, on Sunday, reportedly took Umaru and Anas, both six years old, on Sallah picnic without the knowledge of their father, Alhaji Danjuma, a businessman, and failed to bring them back home.

The father of the children raised the alarm asking the public and security agencies to help him locate the fleeing security guard and his children.

Danjuma said someone called him on Sunday evening and said he was in Erena forest in Shiroro Local Government Area with the children.

According to him, the caller asked for undisclosed ransom before his children who were in their custody would be released.

When contacted, Niger State Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident, which he said occurred about one o’clock on Sunday, May 31.

Maduka College Advert

Abiodun explained that the security man pretended that he was taking the children for Sallah celebration in the town, but did not return.

He said the police suspected abduction but disclosed that “investigation has commenced and efforts to locate the children are ongoing.”

Continue Reading

News

Police arrest suspect behind AI-generated Tinubu voice note

Published

on

Ifechukwu Dennis, the suspect
Spread the love

The Nigerian Police Force has arrested Ifechukwu Dennis, the man identified as the originator of an AI-generated voice note that was widely circulated online as a leaked recording of President Bola Tinubu.

Presidential Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the arrest on Thursday in a post on his official X account.

“The IGP crack team has arrested Ifechukwu Dennis who originated the fake voice that he passed on to his gullible targets as President Tinubu’s voice,” he said.

The arrest closes a week-long controversy that began on May 27, 2026, when a video of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, went viral.

In the clip, an AI-generated voice resembling Tinubu’s was heard making inflammatory statements — including that insecurity in the South-East was deliberate, that he had pressured Peter Obi to step down ahead of the 2023 election, and that he was indifferent to Nigerians’ suffering.

Investigations by multiple news organisations, however, established that VDM had not posted the doctored audio.

Maduka College Advert

An unidentified individual had extracted footage from VDM’s original Instagram video and superimposed the AI-generated voice notes before recirculating the manipulated version online.

Despite this, the Presidency had initially called for VDM’s prosecution.

Onanuga had described the incident as “a clear case of egregious abuse of the social media platform,” drawing criticism after fact-checkers confirmed VDM’s original video contained none of the fabricated audio.

Further details on the circumstances of Dennis’s arrest and the charges he may face were not immediately available at the time of filing this report.

Continue Reading

News

Five abducted Kwara worshippers killed, one escapes, others still held

Published

on

Spread the love

Terrorists have killed five out of the eight worshippers abducted at ECWA Church Omugo in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state, says one escaped abductees.

Rev Sunday Omole had urged federal government to expedite action on the release of the abductees from the captivity of the terrorists.

The clergyman said government intervention had become necessary after the community paid the terrorists N20 million and provided additional items worth more than N300,000, yet the abductors refused to release the worshippers and instead demanded an additional N300 million ransom.

He added that from the action of the terrorists it was clear that they just wanted to be exploiting the community.

Recall that eight of the worshippers including the Pastor’s wife were kidnapped in the morning of March 22,2026 during a Sunday service.

The death of the five worshippers including the Pastor’s wife was disclosed in a statement issued by the Pastor of the church, Rev Sunday Omole, Wednesday evening.

Maduka College Advert

The statement reads:

“It is with deep pain in my heart that I inform the church, families and individual concerned in regard to the 8 people that were abducted from ECWA OMUGO on 22nd of March, 2026.

“We received one of our son’s, Mr Sunday Bakare also abducted over a month ago, he escaped and brought the following news that only 3 out of 8 of our people are remaining with the kidnappers. The remaining 5 have gone to be with the Lord.

“They are; Elder Chief David Omopariola,
Chief Joseph Ibitoye Afariogun,
Mrs Iyabo Aniyi,
Elder Joshua Akanbi Adeyemi and
Mrs. Rachel Oluwaremilekun Omole(his wife).

“Brethren, let’s know that God knows why He allows this to happen. The great comforter will comfort us in Jesus name, amen.

“The prayers of the saints in the beginning of the church also worked and answered still they had martyrs. John 16:33 says (NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace . In this world you will have trouble . But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Heaven is our home and Gain. Let’s reason as child of God as we navigate this moment. God bless you, and comfort you all in Jesus name, amen.”concluded the statement.

It was also gathered that the three remaining worshipers are in terrible health condition, while a member of church who escaped from the terrorists captivity is currently receiving an urgent medical attention in a private hospital in OmuAran.

Continue Reading

Trending

Maduka College Advert