Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Rivers State stakeholders have expressed concern over political wrangling between the legislature and executive in the state, despite the peace accord signed by President Bola Tinubu. The INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, warned that the Ijaw nations in Niger Delta and beyond will not tolerate further oppressive moves by Wike and his cohorts against the governor. Despite the peace pact, Fubara has complied with almost his part of the agreement, except for the presentation of the 2024 budget to the state Assembly. The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has cautioned the governor against running the state without a duly approved budget by the state House of Assembly. The INC President warned that further oppressive moves by Wike and his cohorts against the governor would amount to gross financial misconduct.

The Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (ARFAN), Niger Delta chapter, has demanded the immediate payment of $3.4billion fine from Shell for the Shell Bonga Oil Spill of December 20, 2011. A communiqué signed by Samuel Ayadi, coordinator of ARFAN Niger Delta and Chairman ARFAN, Akwa Ibom State, noted that the fines were upheld by the National Assembly and the Federal High Court in Lagos. The communiqué lamented that Shell's failure to comply had foisted great hardship on the fishermen on the coastal waters, leading to the untimely death of many of the members of the association.

Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has revealed that the Rivers State government has discovered one of the state's Legacy 600 aircraft, flown to and abandoned in Germany since 2012 by the then Governor Chibuike Amaechi administration. Wike led a delegation of Rivers leaders to General Atomics Aerotec in Munich, Germany, where the aircraft had been abandoned for 10 years, and said efforts to repair and retrieve the aircraft would cost the state over 300 million Euros. Wike had to travel to Munich, Germany with a state delegation to prove that the Legacy 600 aircraft had been discovered and returned to Nigeria. Froetschi expressed delight that Wike took the initiative to repair and return the aircraft to Nigeria for use by the state government.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared 19 persons wanted for operating illegal crude oil refining sites, responsible for soots prevalent in the state. The governor has also directed the Rivers State Head of Service to query one Mr. Temple Amakiri, a director in the Ministry of Energy, for abetting bunkering activities and hand him over to the police for investigation and possible prosecution. The government has resolved to tackle the soot crisis by destroying and closing down all identified illegal refining sites and activities. Wike urged residents to report illegal crude oil refineries and other activities to task forces set up at the state and local government levels, and reaffirmed the ban on the use of motorcycles in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt councils. He also warned those operating motorcycles shuttles and hawking foreign exchange to leave or be arrested and prosecuted, and accused traditional leadership of collecting money from vendors and allowing street trading activities.