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The spate of abduction of the relatives of political office holders in Bayelsa State continued yesterday when the 78-year-old mother of the state Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Furuebi Akene, was kidnapped at her Fonibiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
The kidnap is coming on the heels of the abduction of the 90-year-old mother-in-law of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Kombowei Benson. Almost three weeks after, her whereabouts still remains unknown.
The abducted Madam Akene was whisked away by armed men numbering about six at about 12 midnight on Saturday on her way from a church service.
According to her son, Furuebi Akene, who confirmed the abduction, said the incident happened without any gunshot. Akene, who pleaded for the immediate and safe release of his mother, disclosed that “my mother was in company of one of her granddaughters when the armed men arrived at about 12a.m. and took her away. They went towards the southern direction to the ocean.”
He said the screaming of the old woman for help attracted villagers but the lack of boats prevented the people from pursuing the kidnappers.
“Preliminary investigation from the movement of the gunmen showed that they know her and have been studying her movements. They decided to take her quietly to avoid alarm.”
Akene confirmed that the armed men had made contact with him, but made strange demands. He added that added one of the demands was that he should resign from the cabinet of Governor Seriake Dickson as a commissioner.
“Someone that I suspected to be one of the kidnappers called me and said they don’t need my money. But that I should “withdraw” from the present administration as a commissioner. “My brother, I think the people interested in my job as commissioner in the state are the ones behind the abduction of my mother.”
Contacted on the development, the spokesman for the state police command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe confirmed the incident and said they had mobilised policemen to comb the waterways and creeks of the state. According to him, “the terrain is very difficult but we are working hard with a view to identifying the location of the victim and rescue her.”
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The National Conference's committee report on Energy has frowned at the management of amnesty programme for the Niger Delta saying that it was fashioned to benefit only a “few young men”.
According the committee's report 'presented yesterday at plenary by the governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, the amnesty programme has failed to effectively settle Niger Delta communities. The report said, “In fact, the amnesty settlement has settled only a few young men in the Niger Delta; it has yet to settle the Niger Delta communities”.
The report called for more community participation in oil and gas issues, saying, “It is only fair therefore that Niger Delta communities in oil producing blocks under divestment be given equity participation in the new entries buying up the IOC’s interest.
According to the committee, since the derivation revenue allocation that accrued to the states over the years had had little or no impact on the producing communities, who must now endure the neglect of new masters, 60 years after enduring the neglect of both the foreign masters and a succession of state governments.”
Also, the committee recommended that 10 per cent equity be given to host communities in the oil and gas sector. It stated that, “the current divestment is bringing many indigenous operators into the sector. Accordingly, we feel that oil-producing communities, who can find the finance, and are sufficiently well, organised, can and should be given equity of at least 10 per cent by the indigenous entities. “For the communities to be overlooked by government that has the right of consent to these deals does not make good sense for business or security of facilities.”
The committee further called on government to assert itself in addressing oil theft in the country. According to its findings on oil theft, Nigeria loses about 350,000 barrels of oil per day, or about $35m a day, saying that oil theft has “reached an alarming proportion”.
It was for this, that the former governor of Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero called on the conference to mandate the federal government to ensure that oil theft was stopped and the loss of revenue equally stopped. The former governor, who called for more drastic measures against oil theft recommended that oil barges arrested should be sunk in the middle of the sea to serve as deterrent
On the state of downstream assets, the committee recommended that, “government should, without delay, institute a comprehensive independent technical audit of the entire national products handling/storage/transmission system, and initiate a phased implementation of the findings”.
It also believes that “a root-to-branch audit of the entire PPMC logistical system and assets integrity be carried out as a matter of urgency, and appropriate remedies mapped out for its phased
implementation”, just as it asked that the “National Petroleum Assists Management Corporation (NAPAMCorp) and Nigerian Petroleum Management Company Limited (NAPAMCO), be merged for greater clarity of purpose”.
Former governor of River State, Peter Odili, who lauded the recommendations of the Committee on Energy, supported the recommendation that local communities should participate in oil exploration in their localities.
Odili further called for the review of the Petroleum Act, which came into existence since 1969. This, he said is to ensure equity and justice to the local community, stating that what is best suited for the development and exploration is to ensure the political will and the right investment.
The former governor further said that other arms of government should participate in the development of the power sector, while the job of improving the power sector should not be left to the federal government alone. However, other delegates that spoke on the privatisation exercise, expressed concern over total privatisation of the power sector by the federal government, while advocating the government to play a greater role in power generation and distribution instead of leaving same to investors.
According to the delegates, government should continue to fund energy generation, while also exploring other avenues to generate power through clean and renewable energy sources, adding that government should invest more in generation and distribution of energy.
Also some of the delegates called for the stoppage of continued importation of electricity generating sets into Nigeria, stating that it could be that some of the companies involved in the importation of generating sets could be involved in the vandalising of electricity facilities in Nigeria.
The delegates complained that the fumes from generating sets could affect the health of Nigerians by causing respiratory damages, especially in the markets. An elder statesman, Ayo Adebanjo however objected to the recommendation stating that to ban the importation of generators into Nigeria is to license darkness to Nigerians.
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The former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has been appointed as an Ambassador-at-Large by President Goodluck Jonathan.
An Ambassador-at-Large is an envoy who is assigned special duties by the president. This was contained in a statement issued by the Public Communication Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday.
Tukur’s citation read in part: “Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, erstwhile National Chairman of the ruling PDP from 2012 to January 2014, has in the course of his career in Nigeria’s public service, served as the General Manager and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) from 1975 to 1982. He was elected governor of the then Gongola State in 1983.
“Between 1994 and 1995, he served as Minister ofIndustries. Other appointments held by Alhaji Bamangar Tukur include the following; Vice-Chairman of the International Ports and Harbours Association; Chairman of the International Cargo Handling Association; President/Chairman of the Governing Council of Institute of Business Development; Member, Ghana Investors Advisory Council; Member, Presidential Council on Investment of the Republic of Benin in February, 2007; and Member of the Presidential Advisory Council in 2010. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
“In recognition of achievements in various fields of human endeavour, he was conferred with the following National honours: Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON); Commander of the Order of the Niger of Cote d’ Ivoire; and Commander of the Order of the Mono of Togo. Among other academic achievements, Tukur holds a Master’s degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh – 1965; Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) conferred on him in 2007 by Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomosho (Honoris Causa); Doctor of Law conferred on him in 2004 by Benue State University, Makurdi (Honoris Causa).”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) monday raised the alarm that the North-east geopolitical region which has always remained educationally backward may be further drawn back into the woods by the recent Boko Haram siege.
The alarm coincided with the admittance by the federal government that the abduction of the female students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, has drawn the nation back on its efforts and strategies to promote the girl-child education and balance the gender gap in education.
UNICEF said recent indications showed that the region, which had been on top of the nation’s out-of-school table, had moved further down the league and needs immediate intervention to get back on track.
Addressing journalists at this year’s Day of the African Child with the theme: ‘A child friendly, quality, free and compulsory education for all children in Africa,’ in Bauchi, the organisation’s Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Dr. Danjuma Almustafa, who stood in for Dr. Abdulai Kaikai, the Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi, said statistics showed that Nigeria has 10.5 million children out of school – the highest number in the world.
He lamented that almost one of three primary school children was out of school, and roughly one of four junior secondary school children was out of school.
Almustafa further decried that nearly 6.3 million or 60 per cent, of the 10.5 million Nigerian children who out of school children live in the northern part of the country. He said: “Even when enrolled, hundreds of children – especially girls – are not showing up for class. Although girls’ primary school attendance has generally been improving, this has not been the case for girls from the poorest households.
“Rural areas are disadvantaged almost everywhere in the country. Moreover, wealth and socio-economic status confer a definite advantage in terms of enrolment, attendance and completion.”
He said: “Prior to 2011, most attacks on schools in the North had targeted infrastructure and were carried out at night when schools were empty. However, since 2012, teachers and school students are increasingly targeted by militants, resulting in killings, abductions and threats. “Many schools were bombed, set on fire or attacked by militants in the North – and increasingly militants turned their attention to students and teachers, according to the ‘Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack in 2013.’
“Dozens of school teachers were murdered, and universities experienced heavy casualties by gunmen firing indiscriminately and in some cases, using bombs.”
He added that: “From January to July 2013, more than 50 schools were attacked and partially destroyed or burned down, most of them in Borno State and few in neighbouring Yobe State, according to Amnesty International.”
“Additionally, the Borno State Ministry of Education estimated that 15,000 children in the state stopped attending classes between February and May as a result of attacks.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, has admitted that the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls has drawn the nation back on efforts and strategies to promote the child education.
Maina, while speaking yesterday at the commemoration of the Day of the African Child in Abuja, gave the assurance that the federal government was working to ensure that the girls are safely returned to their parents.
Represented by the Director of Legal Affairs in the ministry, Mrs. Victoria Eze-Igwe, the minister also noted that governments at all levels were putting security measures in place to ensure the adequate protection of children in their schools to forestall future occurrence.
“…Working on a comprehensive psycho-social support, trauma management, counselling and empowerment for parents and the girls when they return. This is because most of the victims and their families are psychologically traumatised and need counselling and support to be re-integrated and to return to school,” she said.
Maina added that girl-child education would continue to be accorded priority attention to reduce the incidence of early marriage and its attendant complications such as Vesico Vagina Fistula (VVF), and maternal and infant mortality rates.
The celebration of the Day of the African Child, she said, offered the opportunity to reflect on the current realities of children in Africa and to collectively commit to those responsibilities and actions that will remove the obstacles that stand between African children and the realisation of their rights. She added that the theme of the programme: ‘A child friendly, quality, free and compulsory education for all children in Africa,’ was apt for African and Nigerian children in particular who are facing acts of violence in a bid to access quality education.
The Day of the African Child is marked on June 16 annually in memory of the massacre of children by then apartheid South African authorities in Soweto in 1976, for protesting the implementation of apartheid inspired education.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, Mr. John Abakasanga, yesterday arrested and arraigned three of the four commissioners who failed to appear before the state House of Assembly last Thursday over the non-implementation and budgetary expenditure in their ministries.
But in swift reaction, Governor Murtala Nyako faulted the claim, saying the commissioners were waylaid by the leadership of the assembly who then called in the police to present them before the assembly.
The assembly had declared the four commissioners in the Nyako administration wanted following their refusal to appear before the assembly to answer queries on the financial expenditures of their ministries.
The three commissioners paraded on the floor of the assembly included Mrs. Lucy Ishaiku (Agriculture), Lilian Stephen (Health), Alhaji Ibrahim Gorko (Commerce and Industries).
However, a fourth commissioner, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Shuiabu (Land and Survey) was absent. At yesterday’s plenary, the lawmakers explained that their findings revealed that billions of naira were siphoned in the name of raising memos to execute some frivolous projects which were not executed by the ministries.
In his response, Gorko expressed regret on his failure to honour the initial invitation of the legislators, attributing it to the fact that he was out of town when the invitation was forwarded to his office. The commissioner said out of the N2billion earmarked for the sales of the Jimeta Ultra Modern Market, his ministry only realised about N100 million attributing the failure to the activities of a cartel who were opposed to the government drive to cause a change in the market.
He explained that the ministry operated five bank accounts into which the proceeds of the sales of the shops were lodged even as he dispelled speculations that he physically withdrew monies from the ministry’s accounts, claiming that only statutory bodies had the mandate to do so. Gorko also lamented that the market does not generate enough funds to service its operations as such the ministry introduced a N1000 monthly levy on each shop owner to aid the maintenance of the market.
But Speaker of the assembly, Ahmadu Umar Fintiri, expressed disappointment over what he termed as inconsistent financial statements tendered by the ministry and the Ministry of Finance, and suspected a foul play in the whole scheme.
He rebuked the commissioner for telling the assembly that he did not collects rents when questioned by the legislators, saying that evidence from the various memos the commissioner sent to the governor indicated that the ministry charges rents from shop owners. The Commissioner of Health, Lilian Stephen, on her part, defended her extra budgetary expenditures incurred by the ministry, saying she had earlier made provision for averments which the assembly totally repudiated, saying it was communicated to it.
However, her remarks did not go down well with the lawmakers who chided the commissioner for not knowing what goes around in her ministry, saying that billions of tax-payers money were being siphoned under her watch as she kept appending her signatures on them. The Speaker also explained that there were two budgetary sub heads of N220million and N38million for
MDGs in the 2013 budget which were all paid but unfortunately she acceded to accepting only N38million. However, following the failure of the Commissioner of Agriculture Mrs. Lucy Ishaku to come with relevant documents, she was asked to go back and prepare as she seems not ready. She was asked to come back on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Governor Nyako while refuting the allegation that the state police commissioner arrested and arraigned commissioners on the floor of the assembly, said the commissioners were waylaid by the leadership of the assembly who call in the police to present them before the assembly as if they were criminals.
The governor in a statement through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Ahmed Sajoh, added that the drama that took place in the floor of the assembly was a mere blackmail. The release read in part: “That Nyako’s commissioners went to the assembly on their own and were waylaid by the leadership of the House who call in the police to purportedly presented them to the assembly as if they were common criminals”” According to the press release , it was unfortunate and smacks of blackmail for both the House and the police to have acted the way they did.
“The claim that the commissioners were arrested by the police was false, malicious and a calculated attempt to ridicule the government and embarrass the persons concerned,” the statement said.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
With the 2015 general election around the corner, THISDAY investigations revealed weekend that weak systemic checks within the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) may escalate the level of corruption in the country.
Being a season when illicit funds tend to exchange hands, the thinking is that the anti-graft agencies would increase their surveillance on the activities of politicians during and after the elections. But a source within the EFCC who confided in THISDAY said the commission is not equipped to embark on such ‘critical and risky’ assignment.
“As it stands,I don’t think EFCC can go after politicians during the 2015 elections, and this is when corruption among politicians will thrive,” the source said.
When THISDAY contacted the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, to know the mechanism put in place to combat corruption among politicians, he categorically stated that the EFCC had no such plans.
Uwujaren told THISDAY that “it is the job of INEC to stop corrupt politicians from contesting elections, we don’t wait for elections or event to do our job. Election is an event,” he maintained. On the contrary, ICPC said plans are underway to place top politicians on their watch-list in order to monitor their activities and financial dealings during the period.
ICPC’s Head of Media and Communications, Folu Olamiti, told THISDAY: “We are doing our own monitoring; we are aware that such practices will increase. So we are very careful not to jump into such matters without proper investigations.”
He explained: “We don’t have to wait for elections or petitions to carry out our functions, what we are doing now is to check abuse of public funds by public office holders and top politicians, we have placed some of their activities on our watch-list as elections draw closer,” he said.
But a financial fraud expert and former EFCC investigator, Mr. George Ekpungu, told THISDAY that the best way to curtail corrupt practices during elections and beyond is by initiating “economic governance crimes network within the EFCC that can pre-empt corruption.”
Ekpungu also harped on the need for the “strengthening of the justice system for speedy prosecution of politicians with criminal and corruption charges before the general election, especially those running for elective positions.” Speaking to THISDAY on the dilemma of anti graft agencies in fighting corruption in an election year, human rights activist, Femi Falana SAN, said taking cognisance of the forth coming elections, corruption and impunity would reign supreme.
Falana cited the current case of Ekiti State governorship election, where former governor, Ayo Fayose, is believed to be facing trial over a N1.2 billion poultry scam. That notwithstanding, he was screened by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be its flag bearer.
According to Falana, “Fayose is still being prosecuted as I speak, five witnesses were brought to testify, but the Court adjourned the case to July when the elections would have been conducted in order to see whether Fayose will win or not. Nobody has said anything about the judge. What do you expect EFCC to do in such an instance?” he asked.
Falana also accused Fayose of distributing thousands of bags of rice to bribe voters ahead of the governorship elections so as to garner their votes.
He went on to state that “a drug baron wanted in the US is threatening to spend about N2 billion for Oyo and Osun elections. We are operating in an era of impunity,” Falana stressed.
The senior advocate further explained that there was a trend being set by the administration that indirectly condoles the act of corruption, including allowing corrupt politicians to act with impunity. Falana informed THISDAY that “as candidates of the ruling party, those with corruption charges are above the law; there is nothing you can tell the EFCC and ICPC to do. If corrupt politicians are being encouraged to run elections, the anti graft agencies are being advised to leave them alone.” “In the past, politicians facing corrupt charges were not filled in elections, but in this dispensation, everything goes,” he submitted.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
National Population Commission (NPC) Monday solicited for the support of President Goodluck Jonathan for the conduct of 2016 census. NPC Chairman, Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), stated this when he spoke to State House correspondents after he led other members of the board to a closed-door meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said until the president announces the conduct, preparation to that effect could not be made. The last general census was conducted in 2006.
According to the NPC chairman, his team was at the Presidential Villa to secure Jonathan’s announcement for the 2016 exercise to enable the commission commence preparation.
“The last census was in 2006, so in 2016 there ought to be another exercise, that’s why we have come to tell the President about that because we cannot commence until he says go ahead by way of proclamation. “Our mission here is to seek the President’s proclamation on the matter, to tell us to go ahead with the exercise so that we can hit the road running,” Duruiheoma said.
He however disclosed that the president did not make any commitment to the announcement, but said he was hopeful that the announcement would be made within a short time.
“Some people see it (census) most often in terms of revenue, which is an ephemeral thing. “Yes revenue, which is a very transient thing and maybe representation in the House of Representatives but these things are not as important as providing credible data that can aid development over time.
“If you look at the problems confronting us as a nation today, all of them are derived from a single fact that we lack data and because we lack data, we don’t plan. So that is what I think we should be looking at. “As far as I am concerned, it is only bragging, that we currently do, with some people saying they are more in number than others but those things are not important” he stressed. The NPC boss assured of credible census.
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Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi of Ado-Ekiti High Court yesterday adjourned the case seeking to stop the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr. Ayo Fayose, from contesting the Saturday governorship election to June 30.
A member of a socio-political group in the state, known as E-Eleven, Adeniyi Ajakaye, and Citizen Party, had sued the former governor over his alleged ineligibility to contest the election.
Among others, the claimants are asking the court to determine whether Fayose is qualified to contest by virtue of his impeachment in 2006 and whether he was right to have allegedly given certain false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) about his state of integrity.
Both the INEC and the PDP were joined in the suit. The claimants’ lead counsel, Mr Norrison Quakers (SAN), had pleaded for accelerated hearing of the case in view of the fact that the election in which the eligibility of the defendant was in question would be coming up this Saturday. According to him, the court was empowered under the Electoral Act to proceed with the case so that his clients would be deemed to have gotten justice.
Quakers submitted that the case was ripe for accelerated hearing because the defendants had been served notice since Monday after the court ruled that Fayose be served through substituted means.
But in a counter-argument, counsel to the respondent, Ahmed Raji (SAN), said the case before the court was not ripe enough for hearing since there was no written application filed.
He asked the court to give him seven days to respond to the filed affidavit. He, therefore, urged the court not to treat the matter as an urgent one, and should not rush the proceedings, as demanded by the claimants.
However, in his ruling, Justice Ogunyemi, said the rule of law must be obeyed in the case, concerning the issue of oral or written application, citing Section 39 of the Constitution.
He agreed that there must be a written affidavit filed by the claimant, and given to the respondent. He consequently adjourned the case till June 30 for hearing.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The death toll in the ethno-religious clashes that erupted in Wukari and Ibi Local Government Areas of Taraba State on Sunday has risen to 44.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Joseph Kwaji, who spoke to THISDAY in a telephone interview yesterday, said besides the four corpses recovered at Wukari on Sunday, eleven other corpses were recovered yesterday at Ibi town, a suburb of Wukari where the crisis extended to.
Apart from the corpses that were recovered at Ibi, Kwaji further disclosed that 21 people were injured at Ibi and had been moved to the Specialists Hospital in Jalingo as well as the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo where doctors are battling to save their lives.
When THISDAY visited the Specialists Hospital and FMC yesterday, doctors, including the medical director, were seen working frantically to stabilise the victims majority of whom were said to be responding positively to treatment.
Fielding questions from journalists in his office, the Medical Director of Specialists Hospital, Dr Joel Rimamde, said over 100 injured victims were brought to the hospital on Sunday one of whom gave up the ghost in the early hours of yesterday. THISDAY investigations further revealed that seven other victims who were not brought to the hospital but were receiving treatment in private clinics also died while at the FMC, there were three gunshot victims receiving treatment at the hospital just as six others were hospitalised.
However, in a bid to forestall a recurrence of the incessant clashes in the area, acting Governor of the state, Alhaji Garba Umar, ordered the proscription of all youth groups in Wukari and Ibi Local Government Areas.
In a statement signed by Kefas Sule, the Chief Press Secretary to Umar, he stated that preliminary findings on the cause of the violence in the two local governments areas indicated that the crisis was the result of the negative activities of some youth groups in the affected towns.
And to ensure the proscription order is fully adhered to, the acting governor directed security agencies to take note of the development and ensure the enforcement of the ban on the activities of the youth groups just as he expressed relief that the military has restricted movements in the affected areas indefinitely until total normalcy is restored.
Appealing to the entire people of the state to remain calm and exercise restraint in the face of the present resurgence of violence in the areas, the acting governor assured them that the treatment of the victims of the crisis in government health facilities would be paid for by the state government just as he stated that efforts are also being made to send relief materials to the affected communities.
Meanwhile, the Assistance Inspector General (AIG) in charge of Zone 3, Alhaji Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar, has expressed the readiness of the police to halt the incessant outbreak of violence in the area permanently just as he appealed for the support of the traditional rulers of the affected areas to assist the police to achieve the objective.
The AIG, who went round the troubled areas in company of the state Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Kalafite H. Adeyemi, and other senior police officers of the command to access the situation in the two communities, said every hand must be on deck to ensure permanent peace was restored to Wukari and Ibi, saying there cannot be any development in the absence of peace.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Director General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, John Ayoade Shamonda, yesterday said the agency had placed some states in the North-east, North-west and some parts of the North -central region under flood alert.
He noted that states such as Sokoto, Zamfara, Yobe, Bauchi, Niger, Benue, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo had been placed on high risk by the agency’s 2014 flood prediction.
The agency also said states in the Niger Delta region would witness flooding because of the rising sea level.
Shamonda, who spoke in Abuja during the 2014 Annual Flood Outlook, called on people living in those areas to be ready to evacuate before the flood sets in.
He said: “We classify them into high risk, medium and low risk. High risk means you need to be at alert so that when the information is coming, you will be ready.
“When your area is vulnerable, you will be at alert. The high risk is towards the North-west, North-east and the coastal lines and those are Niger Delta region.
“In 2014, the expected areas for the river flooding are located in Komadugu (Yobe Basin), Niger and Benue Basins, Sokoto (Rima Basin), Ogun and Osun Basins, Cross River Basin, Niger Delta Basin and several other parts of the country.
“High risk areas are predicted over Sokoto, Zamfara, Yobe, Bauchi, Niger, Benue, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo state. “Moderate flood risk areas include Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, Oyo, Edo, Cross River, Taraba, Adamawa, Borno, Imo, Bauchi and Plateau States.”
According to him, the expected flood for 2014 will be lower as against those recorded in 2012 and 2013, adding that the country will witness a peak flow of 63 per cent of flood this year.
“The highlights in this year’s flood outlook call for decision/policy makers and other stakeholders to promote adequate preparedness so as to reduce the concomitant losses from flooding.
“There is the need to embark on flood prevention and mitigation measures that would ensure free flowing drainage systems as well as good preparation and maintenance of hydraulic structures such as dams and reservoirs,” he added.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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