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Joint Task Force (JTF), Shell Deny Coercing Bayelsa Community on Spill Report

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Joint Task Force

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta and oil major, Shell on Monday denied allegations of coercing the leadership of Aghoro 1 community in Bayelsa to sign a disputed report on oil spillage.

A disagreement in the areas impacted by an oil leak on the Trans Ramos Pipeline within Shell’s oilfield at Aghoro communities in Bayelsa has stalled the release of a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) report of the oil spill.

Community leaders, who participated in the JIV to determine the cause of the spill reportedly refused to sign the report.

The refusal was attributed to wide disparity between the impacted areas claimed by Shell and the community.

Mr Victor Akamu, Chairman of the Community Development Committee of Aghoro 1, had alleged that Shell connived with the Joint Task Force, JTF to force and intimidation, to compel the community to sign the report.

Joint Task Force

Shell

Akamu told reporters on Monday in Yenagoa that Joint Task Force JTF summoned the community’s leadership to Yenagoa on Aug. 23 to force them to sign the JIV report but that the leaders refused to sign.

He said the team from Aghoro were labelled pipeline vandals and were profiled into the database of the Joint Task Force JTF.

We were taken to a room where detailed profiles of all of us were taken, including our finger prints, biometric details and our photographs.

We were temporarily held down for almost three hours profiling before we were eventually told to go.

I wanted to ask if it is part of JTF’s job to force a community to sign a JIV report.

Shell should stop using JTF to intimidate our community. For the past 20 years, there is no history of pipeline vandalism.

This leak was due to a ruptured pipeline, due to corrosion yet they call us vandals, it is unacceptable, Akamu said.

However, reacting to the allegation of intimidation, Mr Bamidele Odugbesan, Media Relations Manager of Shell, denied use of force to compel the company’s host communities to sign the JIV report.

Yes, there are issues with the JIV report. The representative of Aghoro 1 community did not agree with a portion of the JIV report but we have not used force.

SPDC does not coerce parties to sign JIV reports, Odugbesan said.

Similarly, the Commander of the JTF, Rear Adm. Apochi Suleiman, dismissed the allegations of intimidation made by Aghoro community.

He said that the military waded into the crisis to encourage both parties to adopt dialogue to resolve their differences to avert breach of peace.

We conduct our duties in compliance with our rules of engagement. We invited the parties to mediate and encourage them to dialogue and use the established channels of resolving conflicts.

I told them to resolve their differences on the negotiating table so that the operation is not disrupted. Our mandate is to safeguard oil facilities and we do not want the disagreement to degenerate further.

We got reports that some persons were disrupting ongoing repairs of the ruptured pipelines and that was why some people were profiled.

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I was emphatic that we cannot tolerate anyone taking the law into his hands, Suleiman said.

Investigations showed that the leak, which occurred on May 17 this year, discharged about 1,114 barrels of crude oil into the environment and polluted the Ramos River and farmlands.

The draft JIV report said the 1,114 barrels of crude impacted a total land area of 113.3 hectares in Aghoro 1 but the community claimed that the impacted area was 1825 hectares.

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Customs Corner

COWA Oyo/Osun Customs Area Command Visits Ibadan Orphanage, Shows Support for Children.

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Author: Vivian Daniel.

The COWA Chairperson of the Nigeria Customs Service, Oyo/Osun Area Command, Mrs Nnneamaka Oramalugo has led a delegation on a heart-warming visit to two motherless babies’ homes in Ibadan, Oyo State.

This was contained in a press release signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs, Kayode Wey, on behalf of the COWA Chairperson, noted that the visit occurred on Saturday, March 23, 2024.

The visit was in a bid to carry on the legacy and policy thrust of the National President of the Customs Officers Wives Association (COWA), Mrs Kikelomo Adewale Adeniyi, to alleviate the prevailing economic hardship being faced by Nigerians across the nation.

The Oyo/Osun COWA Chairperson, Mrs Nnneamaka Oramalugo emphasised that the noble visit to Child Care Home for Abandoned, Rescued Children and Juvenile Correctional as well as Home School for Handicapped Children located in Ibadan Oyo State was to extend love, care, and support to the children residing in these homes.

She was accompanied by members of COWA and some other officials from the Oyo/Osun Customs Area Command on what was termed as “a compassionate mission to bring joy and comfort to the lives of the children at the motherless babies’ homes.” The delegation also arrived at these homes with gifts, essential supplies and provisions generously donated by members of COWA.

During the visit, Mrs. Nneamaka warmly engaged with the children in various fun activities. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, smiles, and heartfelt moments as the children embraced the love showered on them by the COWA delegation.

She expressed her deep gratitude to the staff and caregivers of the motherless babies’ homes for their relentless commitment to providing an appropriate environment where the children under their care are well-nourished while reiterating the COWA’s unwavering support for other initiatives aimed at improving the welfare and well-being of such vulnerable members of society.

The Oyo/Osun COWA Chairperson stated that the visit to the motherless babies’ homes exemplifies COWA’s core values of compassion, empathy, and community service. It also underscores the organisation’s commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of the less-privileged and empowering women in society.

Furthermore, Mrs. Nneamaka Oramalugo presented palliative like Rice, Indomie Noddles, Toiletries and Detergent to Widows of Deceased Officers, as well as Widowers whose wives were registered members of COWA.

On behalf of the children, the staff and caregivers of the motherless babies’ homes expressed their gratitude and thanked the COWA Chairperson and member of the Association for their visit to the respective homes.

They also stated that the compassionate gesture and philanthropic efforts are highly appreciated, as they look forward to receiving more of such gestures, which they believe would go a long way to aid adequate provisions, especially, during this period of untold economic hardship in the country.

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Customs Corner

COWA FOU ‘A’ Calls for Women Empowerment, Donates Items to Widows

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COWA FOU 'A' Calls for Women Empowerment, Donates Items to Widows

By Lucy Nyambi

The Customs Officers Wives Association (COWA) Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A chapter has called for women’s empowerment to create a better world.

Members of the association turned up for a seminar at the Unit on Saturday, 23rd March, 2024, in commemoration of International Women’s Day.

Speaking at the event, the chairperson of COWA FOU ‘A’, Jumoke Ejibunu, emphasised that this year’s theme, “Inspire Inclusion,” aligns with the vision of COWA’s National President.

She stated, “COWA National President, Kikelomo Adeniyi, is committed to genuine change with her humanitarian passion for empowering women and skills acquisition. COWA should be hopeful of better days ahead.”

Ejibunu encouraged women to showcase themselves fully, saying, “As a woman, believe in yourself, know your strengths and abilities, love yourself, absorb knowledge, empower yourself, and be open to change.”

As part of efforts to improve women’s health, the women were educated on awareness and management of menopause by Dr Alfa Suleiman, the FOU ‘A’ Medical Doctor.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of food items to widows.

Recipients expressed appreciation to COWA for the kind gesture and also extended gratitude to the National President for revitalising the association.

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Customs Corner

Customs, Police Trail Perpetrators of Yauri Outstation Criminal Attack

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Customs, Police Trail Perpetrators of Yauri Outstation Criminal Attack

…As Area Controller Holds Closed-Door Meeting With Kebbi State Governor

By Abass Quadri

The Nigeria Customs Service, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other sister security agencies, launched a manhunt for criminals who attacked Customs officers while performing their legitimate duties at the Yauri outstation in Kebbi state.

According to a press statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs Mohammed Salisu stated that the incident occurred on Thursday, 21 March 2024, when the officers thwarted smuggling activities at Yauri Waterside.

The statement reads, “In the late hours of Thursday, March 21, 2024, at about 23:10 hours, the combined team of Yauri outstation and Surveillance were informed of suspected smuggling activity at the Yauri waterside. Upon arriving at the scene, 41 bags of foreign parboiled rice were seized, secured, and taken to the outstation.

“Afterward, a mob attack was launched by the aggrieved smugglers by mobilising hoodlums to attack the outpost.”

Superintendent of Customs Mohammed Salisu explained that swift intervention from Kebbi Command and other sister agencies helped contain the situation.

He noted that the Officer in charge sustained a hand injury, while “1 AK47 rifle was carted away but retrieved shortly, and 29 out of 41 bags of the seized rice were taken away by the attackers.

“The mob went further to vandalise personnel vehicles, the outstation ACs, chairs, tables, windows, doors, and other essentials put in place to support the operations of the outstation.”

He further stated that the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, has hosted the Customs Area Controller, Iheanacho Ojike, to discuss the way forward, while also stating that the CAC has been in touch with the state Commissioner of Police, leading to some arrests and investigations launched to prosecute the criminals.

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