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JTF Destroys 362 Illegal Refineries, Arrests Vessels, Barges

The Military Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta has destroyed 362 illegal, local crude oil refineries during its patrol of the region.

The Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lt.-Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) about the find on Saturday in Yenagoa.

He said the illegal refineries were in Kolokolo area of Bisigbo in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Igbomotoro and Sangana communities in Bayelsa state.

Nwachukwu said further that the JTF arrested 3 vessels and 7 barges reportedly engaged in crude oil theft .

According to him, the arrest of the vessels and barges took place on the Opobo River, in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State and Tomkiri in Brass Local Government of Bayelsa state.

"The operation as well led to the scuttling of 75 wooden boats (Cotonou boats) conveying illegal petroleum products at Ogbokodo creek and Ugbokolo areas of Warri South West of Delta state.

"175 suspects were arrested in the operation and handed over to prosecuting agencies, " Nwachukwu said.

He stated that the new JTF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Bata Debiro’s counter strategy to stamp out oil bunkering in the Niger Delta was yielding positive results.

"Debiro had already embarked on an appraisal tour of troops’ deployments, including Naval Forward Operational Bases (FOB) in Brass, Bonny, and Escravos.

Nwachukwu said the tour also took the JTF Commander to Nigerian Navy Ship Delta in Warri and the Amphibious troops, 146 Battalions and 343 Regiment of Nigerian Army deployed in Warri, Bonny Island and Nembe, respectively.

Nwachukwu quoted Debiro as saying that “Nigeria is the only country where people engage in crude oil theft with the connivance of our country men and we must put an end to it."

"He pointed out that crude oil theft is tantamount to economic sabotage and a threat to the economic security and future generations of Nigeria," the JTF spokesman said.

Nwachukwu stated that the commander had vowed to tackle the menace of oil theft vigorously.

He said that Debiro had warned operatives of JTF to sit up and face the challenge before the Task Force.

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Super Eagles Players Appeal To Referees For Fairness

Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo has appealled to the Referees officiating at the ongoing 2013 Africa Cup Nations (AFCON) to be fair to the teams in the remaining matches.

Reacting to Friday’s controversial penalty awarded to Zambia at the 86th minutes, Yobo said that while he would not want to question the officials, he would want to appeal for fairness.

``I don’t want to question the decision of the referee, but I want to make a passionate appeal to the referees to be fair in their decisions, so that the best team will always win.

“It was a bizarre officiating, the worst penalty award I have ever seen in my entire football career, only God knows why they are doing this to us,” Yobo said.

Another Super Eagles player, Azubuike Egwueke, said he was shocked from the bench area when the referee pointed to the spot.

“It was like a dream and I was asking whether it was a penalty award or free-kick against Zambia.

`` CAF should help us plead with the referees to be fair to the team,” he said.

On his part Ogenyi Onazi, who was alleged to have caused the penalty, said he’s still at a loss over the referee’s call.

“The opposing Zambian player was the one who was pulling me, shoving and almost pulled down my pants and we were not even in the 18 yard box when the referee called for a penalty.

``CAF should please tell them to stop killing African football”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles will on Sunday morning depart for Rustenberg from Nelspruit, where they will play their final game against Ethiopia on Tuesday.

Super Eagles will play their ``must win'' last group match against Ethiopia at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenberg.

 

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Hold Past Leaders Responsible For Lack Of Development – Ex-minister

A former minister of transport, Hon. Ibrahim Bio has urged the north central zone to blame past leaders for the lack of development in the zone. Ibrahim, who spoke at the inauguration of north central consultative assembly at Nicon Luxury hotel in Abuj...

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Fans Advise Keshi To Reinforce Eagles’ Attack

Football stakeholders in Ilorin have advised Coach Stephen Keshi to reinforce the Super Eagles attack, ahead of the team's make-or-mar encounter with the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia on Tuesday.

Scores of football fans, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Saturday, said that the team had so far performed poorly.

NAN reports that the 1-1 draw the team played against the Zambians would be the second in a row after its earlier 1-1 draw with the Stallions of Burkina Faso.

The Stallions had meanwhile, trounced Walya Antelopes 4-0, to boost their chances of advancing to the quarter-finals of the tournament.

The Eagles would have to defeat the Walya Antelopes by a wide margin, without conceding any; to stand a chance of progressing to the Quarter finals of the tournament.

Alloy Chukwuemeka, the General Manager of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC of Ilorin, said the performance of the Eagles in the championship was below average.

He stressed that the team’s attack should consist of Ike Uche, Ahmed Musa and Emmanuel Emenike for the desired results in the team's subsequent matches.

``The defence is better, especially with the removal of Joseph Yobo from the line. You can see that his omission was not felt at all.

``Let him combine Uche, Musa and Emenike together, instead of substituting one for the other,” the ABS manager said.

In the same vein, Coach Tunde Kazeem, the Director, Kwara Sports Council, also described the team’s performance as unimpressive.

The coach told NAN that he was, however, optimistic that the team would qualify from the group stage.

He harped on the need for Keshi and his technical crew to be on their feet during matches in order to appropriately direct the proceedings from the sidelines.

``All departments needed to be reinforced.

``The issue of substitution and the time to do so is a decision that should be left to the coaches.

``They are also monitoring as well. I noticed that their game is improving with each match; their performance against the Zambians was an improvement on their performance against Burkina Faso,” he added.

Mr Kunle Alao, said that the Eagles should strive to score as many goals as possible, to avert the disappointment of having a slender lead being cancelled out through an equaliser.

``If Nigeria had scored more goals in the first place, the issue of a shock equaliser at the dying minute would not be,” he said.

Meanwhile Julius Ogunro the Special Assistant on Media to Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, the Minister of Sports has said that the team was improving with each match.

``I urge fans to be patient and not relent in their support for the Super Eagles.

``The team will surely defeat the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia to boost its chances of playing in the quarter-finals of the AFCON,’’ he added.

 

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ANA Solicits Support For Writers’ Village

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) on Saturday solicited for private and Federal Government’s support in the building of Mamman Vatsa writers’ village in Abuja.

Prof. Remi Raji, the National President of the association, made the plea in interview with News Agency of Nigerian (NAN).

Raji said that the plan to build the village began in 1985 when the late Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa allocated the land for the association to build a world-class writers’ village in Mpape district, Abuja.

He thanked God and every member of the association who had contributed to the realisation of the dream of the late writer.

NAN reports that the president of the association performed the inauguration of the writers’ village on Jan. 24.

Vatsa was an accomplished poet and writer, with eight poetry collections for adults and 11 for children, with titles such as Back Again at Wargate (1982), Reach for the Skies (1984) and Verses for Nigerian State Capitals, (1973), among others.

He was a Major-General in the Nigerian Army, a Minister of the Federal Capital Abuja, and was executed by government in 1986 for an alleged complicity in a coup d’état.

 

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AFN To Select 120 Athletes For Africa Youth Athletics Championships

Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, the Technical Director, Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) on Saturday said the federation would select about 120 athletes to camp ahead of the Africa Youth Athletics Championships (AYAC). Nesiama told the News Agenc...

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I Became A Prayer Warrior In Kidnappers’ Den – Bayelsa Speaker’s Mother

For the 78-year-old mother of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly speaker, Mrs. Betinah Okunwa Benson, the act of praying was not entirely new to her and her family members, including her son, Hon. Kombowei Benson. When she was kidnapped by gunmen and ...

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