SR SahelReporters

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja  The Cross River State Police Command has intensified security operations along the state’s waterways as part of efforts to curb maritime crimes and protect lives and livelihoods in riverine communities. This was contained in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer For: Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command, ASP, Eitokpah Sunday Akata in Calabar. According to him, the initiative is being implemented under Operation Velvet Marine, with the command stepping up engagement with fishing communities and other maritime stakeholders to strengthen intelligence gathering and community-based vigilance. The command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, said the latest efforts included a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the State Marine Police on Friday, October 2, 2026, at the Dolphin Marine Base, Calabar. The meeting brought together 21 representatives from fishing settlements, inclu...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja  The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has expressed deep shock over the crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State. The aircraft was reportedly on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when the incident occurred. Military personnel and some family members were said to be on board. In a statement on Monday, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the Armed Forces of Nigeria extended its condolences to the families and loved ones of those involved in the crash, as well as the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, the Nigerian Air Force and the wider Armed Forces community. Uba described the incident as a painful loss to the Armed Forces and the nation, noting that military personnel continue to make sacrifices in the service of the country. He said, in line with the directive of the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, an investigation w...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja  The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has pledged to strengthen its collaboration with environmental journalists to improve public awareness of water resources management, flood forecasting, early warning systems and other hydrological issues affecting Nigerians. The Director-General of NIHSA, Architect Umar Muhammed, made the commitment when the Executive Council of the Environmental Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN), led by its newly elected Chairman, Joycelyn Ellekeche Adah, paid a courtesy visit to the agency in Abuja. Muhammed described the media as a critical partner in communicating hydrological information to vulnerable communities, particularly warnings relating to flooding and other water-related risks. He stressed that effective management of water resources was essential to preventing water scarcity, contamination and outbreaks of water-related diseases. “If you do not manage the environment ...

By Lazarus Zakaa As political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, the race for the Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency is gradually taking shape, with the contest increasingly becoming a battle of personalities, records and perceived capacity, rather than party platforms alone. Among the emerging aspirants is Hon. Felix Terese Ngutswen (FTN), whose supporters are presenting him as a new-generation politician with a combination of business experience, youth mobilisation and political exposure. For constituents who have expressed concerns over the quality and impact of representation in the constituency, the emerging debate is increasingly centred on a fundamental question: Who has the capacity, experience and vision to effectively represent Kwande/Ushongo at the National Assembly? Supporters of Ngutswen believe he deserves serious consideration for several reasons. 1. An educational background rooted in enterprise Ngutswen began his education at LGEA Yi...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja  The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over his reported inability to afford medication for his late mother, describing him as unfit for the office of Vice President. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on Sunday, the APC expressed condolences over the death of Amaechi’s mother, Dame Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi, while also taking a swipe at the former governor over comments concerning his financial circumstances. Amaechi, who served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, governor of the state and Minister of Transportation, is currently the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections. The APC said it was ironic that a former holder of several high public offices could claim that he was unable to afford medication for his mother’s treatment. The ruling party...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja The National Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), Chief Barrister Kenneth Udeze, has accused some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of allegedly conspiring with one Adekunle Omoaje to institute a secret suit aimed at challenging his leadership of the party. Udeze, in a statement issued on Sunday, described the development as another attempt to undermine the leadership of the party, insisting that the issues raised in the alleged suit are already before a Federal High Court in an ongoing pre-election matter instituted by what he described as the authentic leadership of the Action Alliance. According to him, the latest legal action amounts to a duplication of proceedings and raises questions about the interest of some INEC officials in the leadership crisis within the party. “We have uncovered this hide-and-seek game and we shall not hesitate to expose the rot in the Commission if it continues to disobey the subsisting...