General News
BAYELSA GOVERNOR ASSURES OF PROJECT COMPLETION, FULFILS CAR PROMISE TO HERO POLICE OFFICER
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has assured that his administration will not abandon any project when he leaves office in February 2028. In a statement at the 169th session of the state executive council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa, Diri reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to completing all ongoing projects, including legacy projects that it started and those it inherited.
Diri mentioned some of the big-ticket legacy projects, including the Sagbama-Ekeremor road, the ongoing Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie road, and phase one of the Nembe-Brass road. He also highlighted the nine-storey civil servants secretariat, the 25,000-capacity stadium, and the 60mw gas turbine plant, among other infrastructure projects initiated by his administration. “All the projects that are ongoing will be completed and our goal is to complete them before we leave office,” Diri said.
The governor also gave an update on the Bayelsa West senatorial road between Ekeremor and Agge, saying it was now being sand-filled by the contractors, China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation (CCECC). He further stated that the federal government, which took over construction of the second phase of the Nembe-Brass road, had released 30 per cent of the contract sum.
In a separate gesture, Governor Diri fulfilled his pledge to Bayelsa State-born Chief Superintendent of Police Sentome Obi, presenting a brand new saloon car to the officer. Obi had earned national acclaim following his rejection of a $17,000 bribe from a crime suspect. “The preparations are very high. Very soon the new gas turbines will arrive. My focus is to resolve the issue of electricity so that we will have our own independent power plant,” Diri said.
Chief Press Secretary Daniel Alabrah reported that Diri, represented by his Special Adviser on Security 1, CP Akpoebi Agberebi (rtd), presented the car to Obi in Government House. Alabrah said Diri expressed the hope that the gift would encourage Obi and other officers to continue to discharge their professional duties more efficiently. “He urged Obi not to relent but to continue to put in his best, which he noted will contribute to the sustenance of peace and security in the state,” Alabrah said.
In response, CSP Sentome Obi thanked God, the IGP, and Governor Diri for the honour, saying it will spur him to do more in the service.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has introduced an urgent, coordinated strategy to safeguard food security across West Africa and the Sahel, as global economic disruptions and rising oil prices continue to threaten agricultural production.
The decision followed an extraordinary virtual meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Agriculture held on March 23, 2026, where regional leaders assessed the growing risks to food systems.
The high-level meeting, convened by the ECOWAS Commission through its Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture under Commissioner Kalilou Sylla, brought together key regional institutions, development partners, and financial stakeholders.
Participants—including representatives from the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel—reviewed the impact of rising fertiliser costs, driven by global market volatility and increasing energy prices, on agricultural productivity across the region.
Deliberations resulted in the adoption of a medium- to long-term operational framework aimed at strengthening food sovereignty and building resilience within regional food systems.
Key measures outlined in the plan include the immediate establishment of regional agreements to secure strategic fertiliser supplies, as well as the creation of emergency reserves to cushion the effects of future price shocks.
The ministers also approved the introduction of liquidity swap mechanisms through central banks to address foreign exchange constraints faced by importers—an intervention expected to improve access to critical agricultural inputs.
“Our collective response underscores the urgency of safeguarding food security in the face of external shocks,” Sylla said, noting that enhanced regional coordination and targeted interventions would help sustain agricultural production and protect vulnerable populations.
The initiative highlights ECOWAS’ commitment to deepening regional cooperation and implementing sustainable solutions to emerging threats to food security across West Africa and the Sahel.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Monday paid a Sallah homage to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos.
The visit formed part of activities marking the Sallah celebrations, as top government officials and political leaders paid courtesy calls to the President.
During the meeting, President Tinubu also received members of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council, a key political body in Lagos State.
Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council
The engagements provided an opportunity for discussions on national issues and strengthened ties between the executive and legislative arms of government.
The Sallah homage is a long-standing tradition in Nigeria, where political leaders and stakeholders visit the President and other top officials during major Islamic festivities.
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has expressed concern over the reported arrest of a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Umar, describing the development as a threat to Nigeria’s democratic principles.
In a statement issued on Monday, Obi said he was informed that the cleric was arrested by authorities shortly after hosting him in Kaduna on Sunday. He described the situation as “deeply troubling,” warning that it reflects a growing pattern of intimidation and suppression of dissenting voices in the country.
Obi noted that such actions, if confirmed, undermine fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and movement, which he said are essential pillars of any democratic society.
He further stressed that harassment or persecution of citizens based on perceived political affiliations must not be tolerated, urging the government to uphold the rule of law in its dealings with Nigerians.
“This country must defend freedom and free speech, which are the hallmarks of every democratic society,” Obi stated, adding that suppression and intimidation of dissent have no place in a functioning democracy.
The former Anambra State governor called on authorities and all relevant actors to refrain from actions capable of weakening the nation’s already fragile democratic system.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official confirmation from security agencies regarding the alleged arrest.