Folarin Kehinde

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State on Monday said he has not committed any offence to warrant impeachment by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“Let them come out and tell Rivers people the offence I have committed to warrant any impeachment,” the governor said while addressing his supporters at the Assembly Complex.

The governor, who assured the people of the state of getting the dividends of democracy, said he would speak on the matter at the appropriate time.

“Let me assure the people of Rivers that I will continue to ensure that you get the dividends of democracy. At the appropriate time I will address the press,” he said.

Channels Television had reported that a fresh crisis engulfed the Rivers Assembly amidst rumours of an impending impeachment procedure against Fubara as the House on Monday removed its leader, Edison Ehie.

House members subsequently fled for safety as tear gas was fired outside the Complex.

Addressing his supporters, who protested the development outside the Assembly Complex, the governor said he has not done anything to warrant an impeachment proceeding by the Assembly.

The development occurred hours after a fire broke out at the Assembly Complex on Sunday night.

It was unclear if the fire was connected with the political imbroglio but rumours of a rift between Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike who is now Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister have been brewing for some time now.

There was apprehension at the Rivers State House of Assembly complex on Monday as heavy gunshots and teargas rented the air.

According to a recent video seen by lawmakers who had arrived the assembly complex for the day’s legislative duties were seen running for their safety.

This newspaper earlier reported that the Rivers State House of Assembly building was gutted by fire amid alleged plans of the commencement of impeachment proceedings against Governor Sim Fubara.

The chamber of Rivers State House of Assembly has been set ablaze.

The development comes amid rumour of the plan to impeach Governor Similanayi Fubara.

Sources said the arsonist gained entry into the chamber on Sunday night and set it ablaze.

Our reporter further learnt that the quick intervention of the men of fire service stopped the fire from spreading to the entire Assembly complex.

Efforts made to speak with the Rivers State Police Command Public Relation Officer, SP Grace Iringe Koko proved abortive at the time of filing this report.

Security was beefed up at the complex while firefighters battled to contain the inferno.

The House Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Edison Ehie, was removed from his position on Sunday, just hours after rumors of an impending impeachment procedure against the state Governor, Sim Fubara, began to circulate.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, made the announcement of Ehie’s removal.

Recall that on Sunday night, a fire broke out at the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex. The Inferno was quickly extinguished by firefighters, but the cause of the blaze is still not ascertained.

At least 20 people have been killed in a renewed clash between the Yache-Ijiegu community in Yala LGA of Cross River State and Tiv settlers from Benue State.

The clash, which began on Thursday, is the latest in a series of violent disputes between the two communities over land ownership.

Women and children are said to be among the dead, and many more have been injured. Houses on both sides of the border have also been set ablaze.

The conflict began two months ago when the Tiv settlers reportedly refused to continue paying royalties for their stay on Yache land. The Tiv settlers claim they are being extorted and have nowhere else to go, having settled in the area for over 100 years.

A Tiv leader, Mr Jacob Uswa, has blamed the conflict on the Yache people.

He said, “We can’t fold our arms and watch them continue to exterminate our people. We have to defend ourselves. They usually hide in the bushes to launch attacks. This is also our land. We are also from Cross River State,” he claimed

“My father and his own father lived in this community for over 100 years. And I have lived here for over 50 years.

“I am surprised to hear from Yache people that we are not from here.

We are indigenes of Cross River State, not Benue State. Despite this, we had succumbed to obeying their demands to pay royalties on lands and houses.”

Yache youth leader Augustine Odey blamed the governments of both states for failing to address the crisis. He also alleged that the military has been complicit in the violence, claiming that soldiers have been seen accompanying Tiv attackers.

A commander of the security team, who gave his name as Lt. Alex, has denied these allegations, saying that the military has tried to maintain peace in the area. He said that the Yache boys have been the ones to initiate most of the violence.

“The Yache boys would even move to the other side of Benue State, where soldiers are also keeping watch to attack,” he said. “They have made our peace efforts difficult.”

Lt. Alex said a joint peace meeting with all stakeholders has been scheduled for Wednesday to find an amicable solution to the conflict.

The Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) have declared the unalloyed support for the leadership of the minister, Nyesom Wike.

Speaking at the weekend, JUAC president, Matilukuro Oluwakorede, dismissed a social media publication alleging that workers in Nigeria Capital, Abuja, have been groaning following the cut in their allowance by Wike.

“The public should disregard the information in circulation. it is not emanating from us. We have an internal issue; we had a meeting and agreed on the best way to manage the issue.

“We have nothing to do with what is trending online currently. We love our minister. We don’t have any issue against him as at this moment that I am talking to you, and I wish to be quoted anywhere.”

On the issue of the salary, Oluwakorede explained that JUAC had fought for some allowances, adding however, that the money was not budgeted for in the 2023 budget.

He identified the allowances as peculiar allowance, hazard allowance and “one or two other allowances like that.”

He explained that the allowances overshot FCTA and FCDA personnel budget, adding that in view of the development, the FCTA management called the leadership of the committee over the challenge.

He added that they all agreed at the meeting, that the remaining funds in the vault should be used to pay October salary but may affect peculiar allowances.
“We realised that the little fund remaining may affect peculiar allowance, and we say we don’t mind stepping it down by one month, while the FCT Administration does the needful against the remaining months.

“So that by November, we return to normalcy. So, I don’t know why journalists are just cashing out on this.

“But I wish to say unequivocally, that we don’t have any problem with our distinguished honourable minister or the minister of state or even the permanent secretary of FCTA.

“We are in good relationship and this decision that we have taken, is for the best interest of staff generally,” the president said.

JUAC leadership had on Friday issued a circular, signed by its President and General Secretary, Mr Akuh Sunday, intimating their members on salary shortfall for October.

JUAC explained in the circular that FCTA and FCDA that management had asked the committee to sensitise all staff on the inability to pay salary of all staff in the months of October.

Kidnappers have again invaded Grow Homes Estate along Kuchibiyi in the Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory and abducted nine persons.

This comes barely eight months after gunmen attacked the estate and abducted nine persons.

The recent incident, which took place around 9pm on Thursday night, had a couple and another man taken from separate apartments in the estate.

It was gathered that the gunmen escaped through the bush track which links the community to another village.

A security source at the estate, who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, said after storming the area around 9pm, the gunmen shot sporadically into the air to scare people away.

Narrating how the incident happened, the source said: “On Thursday around 9pm, we (vigilante) heard a gunshot. After hearing the sound, we and some Nigeria Mobile Police (MOPOL) officers searched around to locate it.

“On our way, we saw one of us. He told us they were kidnappers, numbering over 20. He was shot in his hand. At that point, we heard another gunshot. They were shooting at us, while the officers were shooting too.

“We had to stop the counter attack because of their number. They took away three persons; a couple and a man. The kidnappers haven’t contacted anyone yet.”

A resident of the area, Bello Mohammed, said the kidnappers disconnected the alert systems of the houses attacked before whisking their victims away.

When contacted, Josephine Adeh, Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT, said she would get back to our reporter, but had yet to do so as at the time of filing this report.