Rivers Govt Counters Former Commissioner Adangor Resignation Claims

The Rivers State Government has advised former Commissioner for Justice, Zaccheus Adangor, to come clean on the reason behind his resignation.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, the government rubbished Adangor’s claims that he resigned over refusal to institute a legal action against the 8-point Presidential Proclamation on the political disagreement in the state.

According to Joe Johnson, Adangor quit upon his redeployment as Commissioner for Special Duties.

“It is a clear fact that is already in the public domain that Mr. Adangor SAN personally stated in his letter of resignation on Ministry of Justice letter headed paper dated 24th April, 2024 upon his redeployment as Commissioner for Special Duties (Governor’s Office), wherein he said that he was not going to be reassigned, and added falsely that the Governor was interfering with his work,” the statement said.

“It is therefore so surprising that instead of clearing himself of the open declaration by His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS that he (Adangor, SAN), is a saboteur, the learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria has whimsically resorted to cheap blackmail and barefaced falsehood.

“One would have expected the Senior Advocate of Nigeria to respond to that weighty accusation to clear his name and tainted image, instead of the resort to afterthought of twisting the facts, simply to divert attention.

“It is public knowledge that going by the governor’s antecedents, he cannot and will not and couldn’t have interfered with the work of the former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice nor instigate Prof. Adangor to initiate any legal process against the President for his intervention in the Rivers State political crisis orchestrated by those who are hellbent on playing God in the state.

“This is because, we have the facts on why Prof. Zaccheus Adangor, SAN hastily resigned from the State Executive Council when it was discovered the type of person he is.

“Most shocking is that as a professor of law, Prof. Adangor used frivolously, the official letter headed paper of Ministry of Justice, which was not to be, to write his letter of resignation instead of his personal letter heading.

“We therefore use this medium to challenge Professor Zaccheus Adangor, SAN to come clean by telling Rivers people, and indeed the world the truth, the whole truth and the only truth about his escapades.“

Bayelsa ex-lawmaker petitions EFCC to probe NCDMB’s investments

A former member of the House of Representatives, Honorable Israel Sunny-Goli, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe multi-million naira investments made by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

Sunny-Goli, who represented the Nembe-Brass Federal Constituency in the 9th Assembly, stated that he is calling for a thorough investigation and possible prosecution regarding the disbursement of funds for the Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemical Limited, the Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, as well as the Brass Petroleum Product Terminal Limited.

The former lawmaker noted that all the projects are situated within the precinct of Brass Local Government Area and that the investments were undertaken during the tenure of the immediate past Executive Secretary of the Board, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote.

According to him, NCDMB’s total equity of $200 million was contributed to the Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemical Limited project, which was conceived to establish two trains of 5,000 MTPD methanol plants and one train of 500 Mscf per day processing plant, along with associated infrastructure to be sited in Odioma, Brass Island, Bayelsa State.

For the Atlantic Refinery project, he disclosed that a full investment of $35 million was made for the project, which was expected to be a 2,000 bpd modular refinery with a jetty facility and 2MW power plant, with a duration of 24 months completion at the Brass Free Trade Zone (FTZ).

Sunny-Goli further stated in his petition that the Brass Petroleum Product Terminal Limited is also included for probe, with NCDMB’s investment aimed at establishing a 50 million-liter facility with a two-way product jetty, automated storage tanks, and loading bay in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

He expressed sadness that the current state of the three projects is nothing to write home about, as they are now surrounded by uncertainty and a sense of gloom.

Sunny-Goli pointed out that the projects are well-meaning and could provide jobs for the teeming unemployed youths and also increase the government’s revenue.

“To ensure that our great nation is not short-changed, and our teeming unemployed youths are not denied gainful employment opportunities in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, I hereby request that your commission immediately institute a thorough investigation into the projects listed above and prosecute without delay anyone found culpable in the event of misappropriation of funds,” he said.

*DEFENCE HEADQUARTERS ORGANISES HUMAN RIGHTS LECTURE FOR TROOPS OF OPERATION SAFE HAVEN

The Defence Headquarters has organised human rights lecture for troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH), as a mechanism to prevent the violation of the rights of innocent civilians by troops and other personnel of Operation SAFE HAVEN.

In his opening remarks at the event held at Headquarters 3 Division Maxwell Khobe Cantonment Jos, the General Officer Commanding 3 Division Nigerian Army and Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN, Major General AE Abubakar, said troops operating within OPSH Joint Operations Area have constantly undergone trainings on human management from military institutions and civil society organizations. The Commander disclosed that, these trainings have boosted the capacity of personnel during internal security operations, where troops engage civilians on regular basis.

Major General Abubakar further stated that, military personnel deployed on OPSH have been inundated on the need to continually operate within the ambit of the law, with maximum respect for the rights of innocent civilians. He also urged the participants to educate their colleagues who were not opportuned to attend the lectures in order to ensure that the knowledge gained trickles down to every personnel to guide their conduct. The commander also revealed that the lecture was in fulfillment of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen CG Musa resolve to improve the professional capability of military personnel on internal security operations across the country which is also aptly captured in the Training Directive to all formations under the guidance of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen TA Lagbaja.

Delivering a lecture on Protection of Civilians, the guest speaker, Major AA Goni, said that the human rights lecture was important to troops on OPSH owing to the people-centric nature of the operations. The guest speaker noted that, there must not be selective protection of civilians during conflict. He further stressed that no intensity of military operations would justify unlawful killing of civilians.

On her part, Barrister Lovina Abbah, a Human Rights Lawyer, who delivered the second lecture on Torture and Cruel Treatment, said by respecting human rights, military personnel are likely to gain the confidence of the civil populace, which could aid military operations for optimal success.

Barrister Abbah added, that the law does not permit the use of torture to extract information from detainees. She urged the participants to embrace forensic method of investigation to determine the facts of cases being investigated. She, therefore advocated that operational guidelines should be followed while military personnel are on operations.

The team leader and Special Adviser to the Chief of Defence Staff on Human Rights, Air Commodore OO Akisanya (Rtd), disclosed that the lecture was conducted to improve the operational effectiveness of military personnel operating in a joint environment.

Highlights of the event include Lectures on Protection of Civilians/Torture and Cruel Treatment, interactive session, presentation of souvenirs and group photographs.