National
Okpe Leaders Insist On Comprehensive University in Orerokpe
Prominent Okpe leaders on Thursday appraised the performance and competence of the Delta State governor, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, praising him for his positive impact on the lives of the people.
Rising from the crucial meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Okpe Union worldwide, the well-meaning and illustrious sons and daughters of Okpe Kingdom urged the good people of Delta State to rally behind the relatively new administration of His Excellency, Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori.
“The administration got distracted by a huge number of court cases before finally getting the imprimatur of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. With some of the projects already being witnessed round the state and some policy reviews like clearing of the backlog of pension entitlements of retirees as well as cadre regularisation/transfer and upgrade of civil servants and teachers round the state, something progressive is happening in the State.”
In a statement which encapsulated the union’s educational proposal for the development of Okpe Kingdom, the leaders commended Oborevwori for responding promptly, correctly and unequivocally to the educational needs of the state.
“The National Executive Council(NEC) of the Okpe Union, the Ethnic Union of the Okpe Nation, having been inundated by reports of reactions (some disruptive) from several quarters of our dear Delta State and especially from the Isoko areas of the state in relation to the reports of a reported planned relocation of some programmes of the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, a town of the Isoko Nation, held an Emergency Meeting to evaluate the report, its impact on the stability of the administration and ethnic relations in the state as well as determine suggestions to both the government and the people of the Isoko Nation, the historical cousins of the Okpe people who have reacted to the reported policy.”
The statement titled, ’A Call for Calm, Re-evaluation of Policy by Government and Restatement of the Position of Okpe Nation to Foster Ethnic Harmony in Delta State’’ and signed by President General, Okpe Union (Worldwide), Prof. Igho Natufe and General Secretary, Okpe Union (Worldwide), Barrister Kingsley Akpederin, commended Oborevwori for having the redress of the abnormal historical abandonment of Orerokpe and its environs in his balancing agenda.
“Governor. Sheriff Oborevwori is commended for the decision to have a look at the deficit of public institutions in Orerokpe which is one of the oldest administrative centres in the country having been hosting one of the largest areas of local administration in the histor of Nigeria. Orerokpe, from the late 1920s became the headquarters of the Western Urhobo District which covered the present day Ethiope West, Ethiope East, Okpe, Uvwie, Sapele (at a point) and Udu Local Government Areas of Delta State. Public institutions like Universities, Polytechnics, Petroleum Institutes and Infrastructures, Colleges of Education, Schools of Nursing, Schools of Agriculture, Federal Medical Centres and many others have been cited in various areas without the ancient headquarters, Orerokpe, being considered. It is worthy of note also that another city of the Okpe Nation, Sapele, which was one of the foremost townships created officially by the early British Colonial Government with the status of other early official townships like Calabar, Ibadan, Kaduna, etc, has suffered similar government neglect as Orerokpe.”
The leaders urged the governor not to do things for ephemeral benefits and instant fame but to reevaluate the planned policy.
“As the ancient city of Orerokpe is so centrally located in the state being close to Warri, the Commercial capital of the state and therefore not far from the riverine areas of Delta South Senatorial District; and fairly accessible to all the areas of our dear Delta State, we suggest a comprehensive University of Education to be established there. The quest for the acquisition of education degrees has now got the various Colleges of Education in the State to haphazardly secure multiple affiliations with different universities in Nigeria in order for them to be degree awarding. A University of Education for Delta State is long overdue. We believe the resources for the creation of another campus would be nearly sufficient for the establishment of this all-important institution for modern competitive teachers’ education for the state. It is also instructive to note that a University of Education can accommodate any disciplines that a government may deem necessary to apply for approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in the future. It is also time for the Sapele Polytechnic which construction began under the Gov. Uduaghan Administration to be completed. By so doing, the historically neglected areas of Orerokpe and Sapele would have been assuaged to some extent’’.
The prominent Okpe leaders emphasized senatorial and ethnic balancing in the state.
“We acknowledge that since the administration of Gov. James Ibori in 1999, the siting of public institutions in Delta State has upheld the template more or less of Senatorial and ethnic balancing. This resulted in the domiciling of the three Delta State Polytechnics in towns in the three Senatorial Districts of the state. Consequently, the famous Sapele Technical College (STC) which is one of the oldest technology institutions in Nigeria lost out in upgrades. The same Senatorial balancing was followed by the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa Administration in establishing the recent state Universities. It is therefore understandable how our Isoko brothers have reacted with protests to the reports of the planned relocation of parts of university already sited in Delta South Senatorial District and Isoko land.”
“The leaders also appealed for “understanding and calm.
“We are fortunate to have a listening Governor who will certainly do what is best in the interest of the State. Violence and destruction of public and private properties cannot be a panacea to this kind of decision. We appreciate the fact that the State Government has met with stakeholders of the Isoko Nation including our sister union, the Isoko Development Union (IDU), Traditional Rulers of the Isoko Nation and other Stakeholders. We appeal to them to prevail on all, especially the youths, to give peace a chance as the Governor of the State has promised not to undermine the development of the Isoko Nation nor any other part of the State.”
Credit: Henry Ovie
The Confederation of All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Group (CASG) and Concerned Nigerian Citizens for Justice and Sovereignty have condemned what they describe as a coordinated campaign by US federal agencies targeting President Bola Tinubu, warning that such actions threaten Nigeria’s sovereignty and democratic integrity.
Engr Muhammed Kailani, Director General of the groups in a statement
issued on Wednesday, accusing the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of orchestrating a “politically engineered witch-hunt” against Tinubu.
He described the actions as an affront to Nigeria’s democracy.
“President Tinubu was elected to lead, not to be distracted by foreign conspiracies or trial by media,” Kailani said.
“The world must respect our sovereignty and our right to choose our leaders without external intimidation.”
The groups pointed to the recent release of decades-old documents by US agencies as evidence of a deliberate attempt to tarnish Tinubu’s reputation and undermine the will of Nigerians, who elected him in the 2023 presidential election.
The vote, widely regarded as free and fair, saw Tinubu emerge as the country’s leader despite longstanding allegations that have never been substantiated in court.
“This sudden rush to dredge up old documents is nothing short of a politically motivated attack,” Kailani added.
“Nigeria is a sovereign nation, not a satellite state to be dictated to by foreign intelligence bodies acting on behalf of interest groups.”
He called on the FBI and associated agencies to “immediately halt this charade,” warning that continued actions could be interpreted as foreign interference in Nigeria’s domestic politics.
The groups also raised concerns about the timing of the allegations, suggesting they were fuelled by “politically biased actors” seeking to destabilise the country.
Tahe National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has directed the immediate implementation of a one-stop joint-interest screening system of passengers across Nigerian airports.
The directive is part of efforts to eliminate operational clumsiness, curb touting, and streamline security innovations in the aviation sector.
Also, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has disclosed that many airports and airspace facilities have yet to benefit from modern security technologies.
These were disclosed at an aviation security symposium themed: ‘The Fundamentality of Security in Achieving the Safe Skies Goals,’ organised by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The NSA noted that aviation security must evolve to meet emerging threats and emphasised a coordinated national approach.
The NSA, who was represented by a member of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Air Commodore Ahmad Madawaki, further stated that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) is developing a security track assessment framework to monitor and evaluate all airports and airspace operations in Nigeria.
“The Nigerian government, especially the Office of the National Security Adviser, is concerned about the security of our airspace and airports. The mandate of the Office is to coordinate the operations of relevant security agencies to ensure that the operations of the aviation sector are protected from acts of unlawful interference.
“Security agencies are also required to collaborate and cooperate with all operators to ensure their duties are carried out most efficiently and professionally. As part of the efforts of the Office of the National Security Adviser, the NSA has directed the implementation of the one-stop joint-interest screening system to avoid clumsiness and touting innovation operations at our airports.”
“The National Security Adviser’s office is also developing a security track assessment framework to monitor and evaluate all airports and airspace operations in Nigeria. This initiative involves a multi-stakeholder setup, drawing expertise from various sectors to assess risks and bolster nationwide aviation safety.
“The framework will guide assessments and help ensure that operators across the industry are security-conscious. Stakeholders must share timely information to safeguard both our airports and the airspace,” the NSA stressed.
He reiterated that aviation security is a shared responsibility, urging all players in the aviation ecosystem to align with global standards of vigilance, safety, and operational excellence.
“The beauty of ensuring safer skies lies in our collective action. The challenges of insecurity are no longer isolated to any region. We must treat our airspace as a critical national asset and protect it accordingly,” he said.
He also called for sustained collaboration among security agencies and aviation stakeholders, underlining that the ONSA’s mandate is to coordinate all security operations seamlessly and professionally.
“This symposium is a timely reminder that aviation security must be treated with the seriousness it deserves. It’s not just about protecting air routes but also our national integrity,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, NAMA said obsolete screening systems, inadequate perimeter fencing, poor surveillance coverage and limited access control systems expose key installations to avoidable threats.
He added that the integration of physical and cyber-security systems remains suboptimal, limiting the ability to detect, deter, and respond to security breaches in real time.
The managing director of NAMA, Farouk Umar Ahmed, said there is a lack of synergy among security agencies. Despite the shared responsibility for securing aviation infrastructure, coordination among security agencies remains weak.
Ahmed said the absence of structured inter-agency communication channels, overlapping mandates, and fragmented incident response mechanisms continue to compromise the effectiveness of security operations at airports.
“This lack of synergy delays critical decision-making and hinders unified responses to security threats,” he added.
Ahmed, who was represented by Rita Egbadon, director of Legal Services, said the critical role of aviation security personnel is undermined by insufficient training, poor remuneration, and limited opportunities for career development.
“Several frontline officers are not conversant with evolving international security standards, while low morale continues to affect performance, vigilance, and professionalism.
“A growing concern is the deployment of inadequately qualified individuals into sensitive aviation security positions. These appointments often bypass necessary screening, certification, and background verification processes required by ICAO Annex 17 and national civil aviation regulations. The result is a vulnerability in the leadership and execution of security protocols at airports and related facilities,” he explained.
He suggested that there is a need to put in place a joint aviation security task force and create a National Aviation Security Coordination Framework, anchored by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and regularly inspected or audited by NCAA, to drive seamless collaboration among all security stakeholders.
This task force, he suggested, should convene regularly to share intelligence, develop joint action plans, conduct simulations, and issue coordinated advisories.
He also spoke on the need to prioritise investment in security infrastructure and federal and state authorities, in partnership with the private sector, must invest in modern aviation security equipment.
These, he said, include biometric access systems, smart surveillance solutions, integrated command centres, and advanced threat detection tools.
“Funding mechanisms should be developed to ensure sustained upgrades and maintenance. Adopt a Comprehensive Capacity-Building and Incentive Program. The security personnel should undergo recurrent training accredited by ICAO and relevant bodies.
“Training must cover not only physical security but also cyber security, behavioural detection, and emergency response Additionally, structured motivation frameworks- including health benefits, hazard allowances, and career progression plans-should be introduced to retain top talent,” Ahmed explained.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has reactivated the issuance of Tinted Glass Permits (TGP) nationwide through a “secure and user-friendly” platform available at possap.gov.ng.
Muyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson of the police, detailed in a statement that the move comes in response to widespread public complaints about the harassment of motorists over the use of tinted windows.
He said the initiative reflects the need for a clear, transparent, and accountable process for regularising factory-fitted tinted glass on vehicles.
“With modern automobiles increasingly manufactured with tinted windows it has become essential to provide a standardised system that accommodates legitimate use while ensuring public safety,” the statement reads.
“Vehicles have often been exploited for criminal purposes, including kidnapping, armed robbery, ‘one-chance’ scams, and other forms of banditry. Their use hampers police visibility and impedes effective law enforcement, thereby contributing to public insecurity.”
Adejobi said the reactivation of the permit system is a strategic move to identify lawful users, such as individuals with medical requirements or members of the security community, while preventing misuse for criminal activities.
He said it is expected to enhance police investigative capabilities and strengthen national security efforts.
The police spokesperson said applicants can now process their permits online, with identity verification integrated through the National Identification Number (NIN) and Tax Identification Number (TIN), alongside biometric capture and background checks.
He said the system also features QR-coded digital permits, with a streamlined processing timeline of 72 hours.
The spokesperson announced that a 30-day grace period has been approved, starting from May 1, during which motorists are expected to comply with the new regulations.
Adejobi said that enforcement will commence at the end of this period, adding that officers found engaging in unprofessional conduct such as extortion or harassment in the course of enforcement, will be decisively dealt with in accordance with extant disciplinary procedures.
In June 2021, Usman Baba, former inspector-general of police (IGP), ordered the suspension of the issuance of permits for tinted glasses and SPY number plates.
Last year, the police said it would reintroduce issuance of tinted glass permits for vehicles in the country.