State Police: IG Proposes 60-month Transition to Decentralise Policing, 3% Federal Allocation Nigeria  ......Recommends 60% of existing police personnel to move to state services, 40% to remain within federal structure, ......Proposes mandatory use of body-worn cameras*National police standards board to supervise federal, state police By EgbemaVoice in Abuja The Inspector General of Police (IG), Tunji Disu, has proposed a bold funding structure, a 60-month phased implementation roadmap, beginning with constitutional amendments within the first year, as well as strict anti-political abuse safeguards, as the pillars of the proposed state police, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed. THISDAY gathered that in a 75-page Framework on state police, which he submitted to the National Assembly, Disu proposed that about 60 per cent of Nigeria’s existing police personnel would move to state police. In comparison, 40 per cent would remain within the federal structure. Disu, on Thur...

BISHOPS, TRADITIONAL RULERS, NIGER DELTA LEADERS STORM HERO’S ASSEMBLY FOR ORDINATION OF ARCHBISHOP DR. GODWIN SOROAYE, By EgbemaVoice A powerful convergence of bishops, traditional rulers, eminent chiefs, and influential leaders from across the Niger Delta marked a historic spiritual milestone of 30th years anniversary and Elevation of Bishop Godwin Soroaye as Archbishop (Dr.) Godwin Soroaye (JP) was formally ordained as Archbishop. The grand ceremony, held at the Covenant Ark of Safety International Church, popularly known as Hero’s Assembly, at Uvwian town , Udu local Government Area of Delta state,  attracted dignitaries from all walks of life, reflecting the far-reaching influence and respect commanded by the cleric within the region and beyond. The newly ordained Archbishop, Dr. Godwin Soroaye, who is the Founder and General Overseer of the ministry, was described by many as one of the finest spiritual leaders to emerge from the Niger Delta...

Breaking: Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai Loses Mother By EgbemaVoice, The El-Rufai family is in mourning following the death of Hajiya Safiya Ali Rufai, popularly known as Aunty Safiya, who passed away on Friday, after a brief illness. The sad news was announced by her son, Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency. In a heartfelt statement, Bello described his late mother as “a fierce, disciplined, devout, and compassionate woman” and “a mother to many.” “She was an ardent disciplinarian whose presence will be sorely missed by family and friends alike,” he added. Aunty Safiya was the widow of the late Air Vice Marshal Ali Rufai, elder brother of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai. She died on the day of Eid al-Fitr (Sallah), a day meant for celebration, turning it into one of grief for the extended El-Rufai family. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the entire family have been thrown into ...

By EgbemaVoice, The Tompolo Solidarity Forum in Edo and Delta States has unequivocally reaffirmed its steadfast support for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while expressing strong confidence in his leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections. The Forum noted in their press statement signed and copy was sent to the EgbemaVoice News with satisfaction that the current administration has demonstrated a clear commitment to promoting peace, stability, and economic revitalization in the Niger Delta region—an area that remains critical to Nigeria’s economic sustainability. According to the group, the deliberate policies and interventions of the Federal Government have begun to yield measurable improvements in security and socio-economic development across the region. In particular, the Forum commended the Federal Government’s strategic collaboration with Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, through the award of the pipeline surveillance ...

PRESS STATEMENT  *APC DISMISSES FAKE NEWS ON “PRICE OF 2027 ELECTION NOMINATION FORMS”* The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to a false and misleading report circulating in sections of the media regarding a purported “price list” for expression of interest and nomination forms for the 2027 General Elections. The APC states categorically that the report is FAKE, and did not emanate from the Party. To be clear, no decision or announcement has been made on the sale or pricing of forms for the 2027 elections. The report is a mere figment of the writer’s mischievous imagination.  We urge Party members, the media, and the general public to disregard the report in its entirety.  Signed: *Felix Morka, CON* National Publicity Secretary All Progressives Congress (APC)

"I Have No Reason to Kill Tompolo, I Once Saved His Life" Ajube *By Ogele News Correspondent* Senior High Chief Bibopere Ajube says he has no reason to seek harm against Government Ekpemupolo ,and that if anything, history runs in the opposite direction. "I once saved his life," he told Ogele News. Ajube was responding to circulating allegations suggesting hostility between himself and Ekpemupolo, widely known as Tompolo, which he described as false and a deliberate distraction from the real issues facing the Niger Delta. He spoke amid growing debate over pipeline surveillance contracts, insisting that both history and those who lived through the crisis years know the truth of what passed between them. The statement comes at a time when tensions have risen in parts of the region following renewed calls for the decentralisation of pipeline surveillance operations ,a position Ajube supports alongside other stakeholders who believe the current arrangement ...

SEIMBIRI KINGDOM: Fresh Kingship Tussle Deepens as Gazette Allegedly Disregarded, Secret Coronation Looms By Egbema Voice News , Tension is once again mounting in Seimbiri Kingdom, Bayelsa State, following allegations that the Kingdom’s Traditional Council of Chiefs is moving to install a monarch in secrecy, in what many stakeholders describe as a direct violation of the established gazette governing kingship succession. According to reports from community sources, the planned installation is said to be taking place outside the legally recognized Edegbene Ruling House, a development that has sparked outrage among members of the Edegbene Federated Community. The aggrieved group has accused the Traditional Council of Chiefs of disregarding due process, dishonouring the kingdom’s gazetted provisions, and attempting to impose a king contrary to long-standing customs and legal frameworks guiding the Seimbiri stool. In a strong show of resistance, members of the Edegbene Ruling H...

By EgbemaVoice, Comrade Ebiware Owolo (Agbalakoko), Chairman of Obotobo I Federated Community, has condemned agitations against Tantita Security Services, urging Niger Delta stakeholders to avoid actions that promote disunity. He aligned with High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpomupolo, describing the calls for contract termination as “pull-down syndrome” capable of harming the Ijaw nation’s progress. Owolo also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore such demands, stressing the need for unity and sustained peace in the Niger Delta partly Read...... PRESS STATEMENT PIPELINE SURVEILLANCE CONTRACT: COMRADE EBIWARE OWOLO BACKS TOMPolo, WARNS AGAINST DIVISIVE AGITATIONS IN IJAW NATION The attention of Chief Ebiware Owolo, popularly known as Agbalakoko, Executive Chairman of Obotobo I Federated Community in Ogulagha Kingdom, has been drawn to ongoing agitations and campaigns by certain individuals and groups calling for the termination and decentralization of the pipeline ...

Niger Delta Pipeline Surveillance Contract: Mingo Urges Unity, Cautions Against Division By EgbemaVoice, Niger Delta youth leader, Mingo Meshach Sayami Ogumaka, popularly known as the White Eagle of the Niger Delta, has strongly reacted to the ongoing debate surrounding the pipeline surveillance contract in the region. Mingo called on regional leaders to remember the sacrifices and blood of Niger Delta sons and daughters who paid the supreme price in the struggle for justice, equity, and development. Speaking on the latest developments, he addressed the surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, owned by Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), a former Niger Delta agitator. He noted that the award has generated controversy, with some ex-agitators demanding decentralization of the contract across the nine oil-producing states, while others are calling for its termination or redistribution. Mingo recalled that pipeline surveillance contracts...

The Gains Of APC’s South-South Congress And The Road To 2027 By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, Esq. In a carefully choreographed display of unity and political intent, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria’s South-South geopolitical zone has redrawn its internal map, electing a new Zonal Executive Committee, positioning the region as a national political powerhouse, and reinforcing its relevance in national electoral politics. The congress, held in Asaba, was less a contest of ballots and more a performance of consensus. With governors, lawmakers, and party heavyweights in attendance, the process unfolded with striking unanimity, motions were moved, seconded, and adopted without resistance, dissolving the old order and ushering in new leadership in one seamless, purposeful, and peaceful political gathering. At the center of this recalibration is Chief Victor Giadom, who retains his seat as National Vice Chairman (South-South), flanked by a team tasked with deepening th...

CEPEJ Inaugurates Warri Peace Committee, Unveils Grassroots Programmes to Tackle Ethnic Tensions, By EgbemaVoice The Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) on Thursday took a bold step towards restoring harmony in Warri with the inauguration of the Warri Indigene and Residents Peacebuilding Committee, alongside the rollout of strategic engagement programmes aimed at strengthening unity among the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo ethnic nationalities. The initiative which brought together a broad coalition of stakeholders, including community leaders, government representatives, market unions, civil society groups, security agencies, and non-indigenous residents took place at its maiden peace-building meeting, thus signaling a united front to prevent future conflicts and rebuild trust across the oil-rich city. The National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, while speaking at the event stressed that "lasting peace in Warri is achie...

By Egbemavoice, Gbolukanga Community in Egbema Kingdom, Ofunama Ward 9, Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State, has issued a passionate and urgent appeal to government authorities over the alarming collapse of its only primary school, describing the situation as a total failure of public education infrastructure. The community lamented that Gbolukanga Primary School has deteriorated into a dangerous and uninhabitable structure, unfit for teaching and learning. Cracked walls, weakened foundations, and a near-total structural breakdown have reduced the school to what residents described as “a complete write-off and a disaster waiting to happen.” According to Egbema youth leaders comrade Mingo sayami ogumaka said, the only visible repair—roof renovation—was carried out through self-help efforts by concerned indigenes, highlighting years of government neglect and abandonment. The  Niger Delta youth Mingo joined the good people of Gbolukanga community to calling ...

PAP: IPDI exonerates Dr Otuaro, says stipends increment sole decision of president, finance ministry  By EgbemaVoice, The Ijaw People's Development Initiative (IPDI) has faulted people ignorantly blaming Dr Dennis Otuaro, administrator of the presidential amnesty programme for not increasing stipends of delegates of the presidential amnesty programme, citing that increment of stipends is a sole decision of the president of the Nigeria federation, accountant general of the federation, budget office of the federation and office of national planning, ministry of finance, federation accounts allocation committee (FAAC), federal inland revenue services (FIRS) and National Assembly's appropriation committee which Dr Otuaro has no role to play, rather than proposing and appealing. According to IPDI, the monthly stipend of the amnesty delegates is tied to the government budget allocations and cannot be unilaterally approved or implemented by Dr Otuaro. The organization emph...

Edegbene Federated Community Protests, Urges Ijaw Leaders and Delta Govt to Intervene in Seimbiri Kingship Crisis, By EgbemaVoice The Edegbene Federated Community has staged a protest in Seimbiri Kingdom, calling on key Ijaw stakeholders and the Delta State Government to urgently intervene in the ongoing kingship crisis allegedly fueled by the Seimbiri Traditional Council of Chiefs. The protesting community members raised serious concerns over what they described as acts of oppression, intimidation, and exclusion in the kingship selection process. They alleged that the situation has created tension and unrest within the kingdom. According to the protesters, there are disturbing claims that nomination forms for the kingship position are being sold for as high as five million naira, a development they strongly condemned as unjust, exploitative, and contrary to the customs and traditions of the Ijaw people. The community specifically called on prominent Ijaw bodies...

EgbemaVoice News Celebrates General Aroni Oputu on His Birthday Anniversary, By EgbemaVoice, The Management and Crew of EgbemaVoice News heartily congratulate a distinguished Niger Delta leader, respected stakeholder, and 1st Phase Generals Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief General Aroni Oputu, SSA to the Governor of Delta state on security, on the joyous occasion of his birthday anniversary, celebrated on March 25. In a statement issued by the media outfit, signed by the publisher EgbemaVoice News Comr Mingo Friday Sayami Ogumaka said General Aroni Oputu was described as a visionary leader, a stabilizing force, and a committed advocate for peace, unity, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta region. His unwavering dedication to the ideals of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and his continuous engagement with stakeholders have earned him widespread respect and admiration. EgbemaVoice News commended his remarkable contributions...

By EgbemaVoice, The immediate past Women Leader of the Egbema Youth Council (EYC), Comrade Happy Nawei, has extended her warmest congratulations to Chief General Aroni Oputu, 1st Phase General Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), on the occasion of his birthday anniversary today, March 25. In her goodwill message, Comrade Nawei described General Aroni Oputu as a committed leader, a bridge builder, and a symbol of resilience whose contributions to peace, stability, and youth empowerment in the Niger Delta remain commendable. She noted that his leadership within the Presidential Amnesty Programme has continued to inspire hope among ex-agitators and youths across the region, fostering unity and progressive engagement for sustainable development. “Your dedication to the cause of peace and your unwavering commitment to the welfare of the people have distinguished you as a true leader and patriot. Your efforts in advancing the objectives of the Amnesty Programme ...

₦800 Million Empowerment Programme: Arogbo-Ibe Voice Publisher/CEO Commends Kestin Pondi, Advocates Media Inclusion in Future Interventions By EgbemaVoice, The Publisher/CEO of Arogbo-Ibe Voice Reporters, Doctor Kegbe, has commended the business grant initiative by High Chief Kestin Pondi, describing it as a landmark empowerment programme valued at ₦800 million, approaching the ₦1 billion mark, making it one of the most impactful private-sector interventions in the history of the Niger Delta. He noted that the initiative demonstrates a strong commitment to economic development and grassroots empowerment, benefiting 80 entrepreneurs across critical sectors including agriculture, food production, technology, fashion, logistics, and creative industries. “This intervention is both timely and transformative. Its scale and reach clearly reflect a genuine passion for uplifting livelihoods and strengthening the economic base of the Niger Delta,” he stated. The beneficiaries of the programme ar...

IJAW TRADITIONAL THRONES ARE SACRED — YOUTH LEADER URGES SEIMBIRI KINGDOM TO UPHOLD GAZETTED ROTATIONAL SYSTEM By EgbemaVoice The integrity of traditional institutions in Ijaw land has again come under focus as concerns deepen over the ongoing kingship process in Seimbiri Kingdom. A prominent Niger Delta youth leader, Comrade Mingo Sayami Ogumaka, has called on the Seimbiri Kingdom Traditional Council of Chiefs to strictly uphold the sanctity of Ijaw customs, traditions, and the gazetted rotational kingship system guiding the emergence of monarchs. Speaking on the developing situation, Comrade Mingo emphasized that Ijaw traditional thrones are sacred heritage institutions and must not be reduced to political contests or influenced by practices alien to Ijaw culture. According to him, the Edegbene Ruling House, which is next in line to produce the king of Seimbiri Kingdom under the established rotational arrangement, has duly nominated its candidate in line with tradition. H...

PRESS STATEMENT ADC TO TINUBU: YOUR PORT REHAB AGREEMENT IS A ‘MUGU’ DEAL. - Says Nigeria taking loans to fund British Economy. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the £746 million agreement signed by President Bola Tinubu during his state visit to the UK as a ‘mugu’ deal, which disproportionately favoured the United Kingdom and its economy, while leaving Nigeria with a massive debt.  In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said while the APC government has tried to pass off the deal as President Tinubu’s major achievement, it is in fact an achievement of the UK Government, which, through this deal, has managed to save its steel industry, protect thousands of UK jobs, and get Nigeria to pay for it.  The party calls on the Federal Government to provide full transparency by disclosing comprehensive details of the agreement, including the applicable interest rates, repayment terms, and any local content provisions or ob...

STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE WE WILL NOT ALLOW INSECURITY TO OVERSHADOW OUR EFFORTS AT HELPING THE VULNERABLE, PRESIDENT TINUBU SAYS President Bola Tinubu, on Sunday in Lagos, said his administration will intensify efforts to tackle the challenges of insecurity across various parts of the country, assuring that the safety and well-being of citizens featured at the meetings held in the United Kingdom.  President Tinubu, who hosted the Vice President Kashim Shettima and 23 governors at his Lagos home for the Eid el-Fitr, said that he had followed up on support for modern security interventions with French President Emmanuel Macron. “Your presence here today and the number show your sincerity, commitment and value for friendship and togetherness.  “The next phase of our struggle is staring us in the face, and that is the challenge of insecurity in the country.  “I am making all the efforts to ensure that we collectively share the joy of our victory over tyranny. Insecurity is an...

The Ijaw Quest for Nigeria’s Fourth Pillar The socio-political architecture of the Nigerian federation has long been anchored on a majoritarian construct known as the Wazobia paradigm. This linguistic and political fusion—derived from the Yoruba "Wa," the Hausa "Zo," and the Igbo "Bia," all meaning "come"—was designed to foster a sense of national unity among the three largest ethnic groups. However, this paradigm has inadvertently functioned as a mechanism of systemic constitutional exclusion for the Ijaw ethnic nationality, which stands as the fourth largest ethnic group in the country with a significant contribution to the nation’s oil-based economy. With a population estimated at 14.39 million as of 2024, representing approximately 6.16% of Nigeria’s total population, the Ijaw occupy a critical but often marginalized demographic space. This marginalization gap is not merely an accident of history but a structural outcome of the 1946 Richards ...