Rivers NMA: Doctors Commence on 3-Day Strike to Protest Kidnapping of Members

Following the incessant kidnapping of medical practitioners across the state as alleged by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Rivers State chapter, the association has embarked on a warning strike beginning Thursday through Sunday.
Chairman of the association, Dr Furo Green, while speaking to newsmen after an emergency general meeting of the association, said NMA was constrained to believe that there was a conspiracy against doctors.

According to the chairman, the association has agreed that if their kidnapped colleagues were released as at 17th January, 2016, another emergency meeting would be convened by Monday to review the situation.

He on behalf of the association pleaded with the government and all relevant agencies to kindly intervene in the issue of the continuous kidnapping of doctors.

Sadly, Celine Dion's Husband Dies at 73

World renowned and powerful vocalist, Celine Dion lost her husband today Thursday 14th January, 2016, to the cold hands of throat cancer that they have fought for over 17 years.

Her late husband, Rene Angelil, died at the age of 73 in the early hours of today.
He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998.

Lassa Fever Claims Doctor's Life in Rivers

Lassa fever has claimed the life of a medical doctor in Rivers State, Ehivai Njamala.

Njamala who was until his death a resident doctor with the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital died on Thursday, January 14, 2016 while treating a patient infected with the virus.

IG Says Police Officers Mental States Will be Checked From Time to Time

Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has indicated that the Nigeria police new recruits and old members may henceforth undergo mental scrutiny before been considered or retained in the force.

The IG made this known at the Nigeria Police Force Health Policy Revalidation meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

This he said became necessary after the continued rise of number of extrajudicial killings by men of the Nigeria police.

He said the force was working towards establishing a Trauma Centre for its officers because of the nature of their job: “The Police should be concerned about the mental health of officers,” he said.

Rivers First Female CJ Retires 10 Days After Oath of Office

Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Daisy Okocha will be retiring on Thursday, January 14 after ten days of taking the oath of office as the state chief judge.
Okocha who is the state first female chief judge was appointed by the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, after the Appeal Court’s ruling on December 23, 2015.

She took her oath of office as a substantive Chief Judge of the state on Monday, January 4, after serving her two terms in office as the acting Chief Judge of the state from June 1, 2015 to January 4,2016.

A statement from the office of the High Court Registrar said a valedictory church service in honour of the retiring state Chief Judge would hold at St Paul’s Cathedral Church, Garrison in Port Harcourt by 10.am tomorrow and would be preceded by a Special Court Session at the Chief Judge’s Ceremonial Court Hall at the state Judiciary Complex, Port Harcourt.

Two other serving judges of the state High Court, Justice Ben Ugari and C. Uriri, bowed out of the service on Tuesday after attaining the mandatory retirement age.

Army in Rivers Arrests 2 Fake Soldiers, Prophet in Port Harcourt

The Two Brigade Nigerian Army Command in Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, has paraded two fake soldiers who specialise in impersonating army officials to dupe the general public.

The army also paraded a self-confessed fake pastor who specialises in deceiving members of his congregation with fake miracles and testimonies.

The army public relations officer of the two brigade command of the Nigerian Army, Capt. Ely Lazarus, said the fake soldiers were arrested last week while on a military uniform.

He said: “Mr Samual Agaga was arrested at Saipem area of Port Harcourt. He was dressed in full military uniform with a rank as a major, while Fabian was arrested in Ibiama in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State. They have been impersonating our military officers using our military uniform and having dealings with unsuspecting members of the public.

1 Person Missing After Boat Capsizes in Okrika Rivers State

At least one person is still missing and several others injured after a speed boat capsided along the Port Harcourt Okrika waterways. The vice chairman of speed bpat ownerd association  in Okrika Local Government Area, Isaac Nwakama, told our correspondent that the incident occurred last night.

He said that the boat which was carrying over 20 passengers was travelling from Port Harcort to Okrika.

He said many of the passengers were rescued alive.

Nwakama said: “We are facing tow challenges like that. That is, the challenges is too much. I don’t know how the government will assist us because you can see that two or three times I will jack my engine because of those refuse. And the wrecks at Abuloma waterways are part of the challenges we are facing.

Tribunal Nullifies Election Result of 3 Constituencies in Rivers

While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were yet to recover from the shock of Saturday’s tribunal verdict which annulled the election that brought Nyesom Wike as governor of Rivers State, Rivers State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has also nullified elections of three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers.

Those nullified are Asari Toru Constituency II, Gokana Constituency II and Tai Constituency.

More details to come...

Wike Again Restates Commitment to Clear Backlog of Disbanded TIMARIV Workers

Rivers State Government has again reassured the disbanded workers of the State Transport Management Agency (TIMARIV) of paying them their backlog of salaries.

Special adviser to the governor on media and publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, stated this following appeals by the disbanded TIMARIV workers that their ten month backlog of salaries be paid.

Inko-Tariah said the Governor Nyesom Wike led administration was sensitive to issues concerning people of the state including TIMARIV.

He said: “I understand the rationale behind the demonstration by members of the disbanded TIMARIV. However, it is pertinent to say that this TIMARIV issue is a problem bequeathed to Governor Wike by the immediate past administration of Rotimi Amaechi and created by his physical rascality. However, let me dissolve the fears of the protesters by assuring them that the governor is a very sensitive man and will do something to sort out the nonpayment of their salaries.

OMG! Truck Cuts Man Into Two Parts In PH

This is one of the worst gruesome images you have seen in a while. The man in the was completely split into two parts in an accident that happened in Port Harcourt today, Monday 28.

Details are still sketchy but be warned that the image is quite disturbing. See it as you continue...

Emergency Medical Services In Rivers Threaten to Shut Down Hospital in 14 Days

Workers of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) of the ministry of health have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Rivers State Government (RSG) to pay them their over 10 months salary arrears or face a shutdown of the health facilities in the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by some of the workers.

The emergency medical service workers also want the RSG to regularise their appointment having worked for four years without formal employment.

A spokesman of the emergency medical services workers, Orwell Wali, said they were facing hard times as a result of nonpayment of their salaries.

He said: “we have been having series of meeting with our director and the permanent secretary Rivers State Ministry of Health and they promised that the governor had already approved the EMS and would work with them. They said that they would meet with us in few months and since then till date we have not heard anything from them. The situation on ground with us is that we have a lot of people working with us married and unmarried with children and no salary. Many of us have been pushed out of our houses and we don’t have where to stay.

Turn Your Office PC Into a Wifi, Connect Phones, Tablets, Others Free

Ever desired to turn that office computer into a wireless internet connection or hotspot and share with all your devices? Here is a way out of the situation that only laptop and phone users used to enjoy alone.
Going straight to the point, you will need My Wifi Router for this purpose. You can share single internet connection (LAN, Ethernet, Data-card, 3G/4G, wifi) with other computers, ipads, phones and every other thing that requires internet connection. You can as well monitor those you are sharing your internet it and even block others from using it. Another beautiful thing is that it allows you to share files wirelessly from your pc to other devices (something that is wasn’t possible before now).

Rivers: Army Uncovers Arms Cache, Soldier Training Militants

The Nigerian Army on Sunday, said they have arrested a rogue soldier, who specialised in training Niger Delta militants, during its arms and ammunition mop-up in Kula Community, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The Commanding Officer of 2 Brigade Garrison of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Lt.-Col. Timothy Opurum, made this known to newsmen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
Opurum said the soldier, a member of a 13-man -militant gang alleged to have been terrorising many communities in the state, deserted the army in 2002.

He said: “Based on intelligence reports, we carried out a sting operation where we captured the 13man-militant gang including its notorious kingpin leader, simply known as Kenneth.

“We also arrested a soldier, who deserted the army in 2002 and specialised in training of militants in weapons handling and operational tactics.
“The soldier (names withheld), who is a Private, joined the army in 1998 and served in 331 Artillery Regiment, Kalapanzi Barracks in Kaduna before he was declared missing in 2002.
“The soldier, who is related to the kingpin of the militant group, is still in our custody and will be released to prosecuting agencies after formal dismissal from the army,” he said.

NGO Calls on Police to Take Responsibility for Killing of Oldest Man in Rivers Community

A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Society for the Promotion of Better Nigeria has called on police in Rivers State to take responsibility for the death of an elderly man in Mgbuoshimiri community during an invasion of the community by police at the weekend.

The executive director of the NGO, Livingstone Nweche, in his reaction condemned the approach used by men of the Nigerian police in combating cultism which led to the death of a senior citizen.

Nweche said: “I wish to condemn in unmistakable terms the recent spate of community invasion by security agencies in Rivers State in the name of fighting cultism and criminality which is very disturbing. This is particular reference to the uncoordinated and hostile approach leading to colatral damage resulting in the loss f innocent lives and property of community dwellers.

Dakuku Calls for Collective Effort to Tackle Insecurity in Rivers State

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dakuku Peterside, has called for a collective effort to tackle issues of insecurity in the state irrespective of police conciliation or religious affiliation of the people of the state.

He made the call in his reaction to recent attacks and killings in oyorokuto fishing settlement in Ndoni Local Govenrment Area of the state while describing the spate of killing of innocent lives in the area as disturbing.

He said: “let me condemn in strong terms the recent attacks and killings at Oyorikoto fishing settlement. You will recall that this is not the first time Oyorikoto is being attacked, but current spate of killing of innocent inhabitants of Oyorikoto is so devastating that one needs to worry. And come to think of it, we have a government in place who whose responsibility is to safeguard lives and properties which is the primary responsibility of any government. So the people of Oyorikoto are nt excuded from the larger Rivers State. It is our responsibility to ensure that we provide them a conducive environment to go about their business.