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Gunmen Kill 19 Policemen in Rivers, Akwa Ibom
From Christopher Tom, Uyo
The nefarious killing of innocent people including security personnel has shifted to South East and South-South with gunmen holding sway in Abia, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.
Reports yesterday showed that while sacral people wee killed, property worth millions of naira were destroyed in different incidentce in the here states.
In Abia, the police post at the Ubani Umuahia Main Market was set ablaze yesterday by gunmen, resulting in panic as some churches ended their service abruptly and dismissed members to go home.
In Akwa Ibom state, no fewer than 12 policemen were killed at ongoing attacks on security personnel and formations in the South-East and South-South regions.
The separate incidences, which had the imprints of previous attacks, saw gunmen attacking the personnel at their duty posts in the early hours of yesterday.
Gunmen, it was gathered, attacked the Divisional Police Headquarters, located in Odoro Ikpe village, Ini Local Government Area, killing five policemen on duty.
It was gathered that the Akwa Ibom attackers struck at about 2 45am yesterday. The incident happened exactly one week after hoodlums attacked Ikono Police Divisional Headquarters where they killed two policemen.
The latest attack brought the total number of policemen killed in May alone in the state to seven.
A policeman’s wife was also killed in the attack that saw the gunmen, setting patrol vehicles ablaze. According to sources in the area, the attackers stormed the police station in two buses and a Sienna bus.
A statement by the Chairman of the LGA, Mr. Israel Idais, said some police officers also sustained severe injuries during the attack.
Idais commended youths of the LGA for raising the alarm, saying it helped reduced the number of casualties recorded.
“The gunmen who came in two buses and a Sienna car filled with armed men numbering more than 40, arrived in Ini Local Government Area with sophisticated weapons, broke into the police facility at precisely 2:45 am, killed five policemen on duty, burnt vehicles and inflicted injuries on others.
“Some police officers who attempted to repel the gunmen were overrun. I urge the good people of Ini LGA to stay calm as we are working with relevant security agencies and the government of Akwa Ibom State to ensure that the situation is contained.
“Necessary modalities are being put in place to forestall a reoccurrence. There is no cause for fear as the culprits will be brought to book in no distant time”.
The Public Relations Officer, PRO, of Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Mr. Odiko MacDon, confirmed the attack. He said he was at the scene of the incident for an on-the spot assessment.
“Yes, there was an attack at the Divisional Police Headquarters, Odoro Ikpe, in Ini Local Government Area. Six persons including five officers and a wife of an officer were killed. I am at the station as we speak,” he said.
The situation was not different in Rivers State as seven policemen were reportedly killed.
River state Governor, Nyesom Wike, called an emergency meeting to discuss the killings. but said no amount of intimidation will cause the state to succumb to secessionist agenda.
Facts emerged on how gunmen killed about seven policemen. The attackers had, at about 10 pm, Friday, murdered the policemen at different points in two LGAs.
They were said to have attacked Rumuji Police Divisional Headquarters in Emohua and Elimgbu Police Station in Obio/Akpor LGA. The gunmen also attacked two security checkpoints, C4i Security Formation on East-West Road and another at Ogbakiri Junction in the same Emohua LGA.
A police source said an Assistant Superintendent of Police and an Inspector were killed at the C4i Checkpoint in Emohua. Two AK47 rifles were said to have been snatched from them while a patrol van was set ablaze. Beheaded At Rumuji Police Division[1]al Headquarters, gunmen beheaded their victims after killing them.
A Special Constabulary sustained injuries. At the station, the invaders snatched two Ak47 rifles and set ablaze a patrol van before they were repelled by soldiers, making them abandon their Hilux van. Four rifles were said to have been stolen from the station.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the attackers. Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP. Nnamdi Omoni, in a statement, yesterday, issued after the Commissioner of Police in the state, Friday Eboka, and heads of tactical units, visited the different scenes of crime, said the attackers were met with stiff resistance.
Omoni said: “The Rivers State Police Command can confirm the unprovoked and mindless attack on policemen and vehicles.
“The incident which led to the death of seven policemen occurred last night at about 2030hrs, where un[1]known gunmen driven in two branded Hilux vans, attacked the special check[1]point at Choba Bridge, where in a surprised attack, killed two policemen on duty and set ablaze a private car belonging to one of the policemen.
“A similar attack was launched at Rumuji Police Station by the same hoodlums who killed two police[1]men on duty and burnt a patrol vehicle. Five assault rifles “However, a stiff resistance by the Police prevented the hoodlums from gaining access into the Police station. In the course of the exchange of fire, two of the attackers were fatally wounded.
They died on the spot. “The third attack at Elimgbu Police Station was equally resisted by the Po[1]lice. Though three officers were killed in that attack, the serious fire engagement made them abandon their bullet-riddled Hilux van. They escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds in a snatched Sienna bus. “The continued engagement by the Police also forced them to abandon the Sienna car they were using to escape at the Refinery Junction, while their remnants escaped with bullet wounds.
“In the meantime, the corpses of the fallen heroes have been evacuated and deposited in the mortuary, while the Commissioner of Police, CP. Eboka Friday, who led members of his management team and tactical Commanders to the respective scenes this morning for an on-the-spot assessment, has launched a serious manhunt for the perpetrators with a view to apprehending the culprits and bringing them to justice.” Rivers can’t succumb to secessionist Agenda — Wike Rivers State Security Council, last night, called for calm on the heels of the attacks on police personnel in the state.
Governor Wike, who pre[1]sided over an emergency meeting of the Security Council at the Government House, Port Harcourt, condemned the attacks. The governor reiterated that no amount of intimidation or cruel resort to bar[1]baric attacks will make Rivers succumb to secessionist agenda of those who are bent on plunging Nigeria into “another unwarranted crisis”.
Wike urged residents of Rivers to be calm as the Security Council had taken measures to secure the state. Meanwhile, no fewer than 40 policemen have lost their lives in the last two weeks in ongoing attacks in the two zones, South-East and South-South.
Seven days ago, a research by an online platform revealed that no fewer than 18 policemen were killed in separate attacks across Nigeria in one week. Also, 16 were killed last week, bringing the number of those killed in the last 14 days to 34.
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Development Bank of Nigeria Plc (DBN) has launched DAWN: DBN Action for Women in Nigeria, unveiled its Impact Report and presented MSME Data Assets at the seventh edition of Annual Lecture held in Abuja.
DBN, in a statement on Thursday, said while delivering a welcome address, its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tony Okpanachi, said the central challenge was no longer reforms themselves but ensuring benefits reach businesses at end of the chain.
He asked how to make sure benefits reach traders in Onitsha, fabricator in Aba, farmer in Kebbi and young founder in Yaba, noting that MSMEs accounted for about half of Nigeria’s GDP and more than eight in every ten jobs, adding that when reform works for MSMEs it works for most Nigerians.
He explained that reform becomes prosperity only when entrepreneurs can act on it whether through long tenor loans to buy equipment, banks willing to take risk or skills and records needed to grow.
He said working through Participating Financial Institutions DBN provides longer term funding, partial credit guarantees through subsidiary Impact Credit Guarantee Limited and capacity building including Entrepreneurship Training Programme.
He disclosed that as at December 2025 DBN had disbursed a cumulative N1.4 trillion to MSMEs through 84 Participating Financial Institutions creating about 1.6 million jobs nationwide.
Under the new five year strategy, the Bank aims to reach more than two million MSMEs with deliberate targets for women led businesses, youth led businesses and underserved states.
On DAWN, Okpanachi said finance alone had not enabled enough women-led businesses to scale.
He said initiative brings together financing, guarantees and credit support, technical assistance, outcome linked grants and market linkages delivered through banks, microfinance institutions, fintechs, aggregators, cooperatives and direct channels.
Its priority sectors are agriculture and exports, healthcare, arts and creatives, technology and green business.
He said DAWN is about moving gender focused lending beyond intention and turning access into opportunity.
On the sidelines of the lecture DBN and African Development Bank held a signing ceremony of AfDB DBN 61 million United States dollars Gender Line of Credit development that reinforces Bank commitment to women led enterprises.
Okpanachi urged Participating Financial Institutions to extend lending into sectors and states where access to finance has been limited, policymakers and regulators to measure reform by what changes for business at end of chain and MSMEs to formalise, keep good records and use support now available.
The Vice President as Special Guest of Honour was represented by Dr Fred Iklaga Senior Technical Adviser in the Office of Special Adviser to the President on Economy.
Keynote speakers were Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Dr Karl Toriola, and Chairman of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Dr Segun Ogunsanya.
Fireside chat featured Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank Abubakar Suleiman, manufacturing and trade entrepreneur Mrs Omoyemi Chukwurah and by video Kola Masha of Babban Gona.
The Secretary to the Government of Federation, represented by Augusta Warren Bekaredebo, said 2026 tax reforms would bring relief to many small businesses expressing optimism that a lot of businesses will be smiling by next year because they will be exempted from tax.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened possible nationwide industrial action following the failure of talks with the Federal Government over workers’ welfare, petrol prices and other outstanding labour demands.
The warning came after a meeting between the government and organised labour at the Ministry of Labour in Abuja on Thursday, October 22, ended without an agreement.
The congress has given the Federal Government until Tuesday, October 27, to make meaningful progress on the issues, warning that its relevant organs would decide the next line of action if the next meeting fails to produce concrete commitments.
The NLC has also directed its affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to begin mobilising members for possible nationwide action.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the NLC Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, expressed disappointment over what he described as the government delegation’s lack of preparedness for the negotiations.
According to the congress, organised labour presented its demands in good faith but left the meeting without any concrete commitments from the government.
The demands include a reduction in petrol prices to 2024 levels, renegotiation of the national minimum wage, implementation of agreed tax relief measures and resolution of the terms of settlement involving the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).
The congress also called for the resolution of issues raised by the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) over peculiar allowances, wage awards and hazard allowances.
The NLC said the government delegation lacked the necessary authority to engage meaningfully on the issues presented by labour representatives.
“The meeting between the Federal Government and organised labour, convened at the Ministry of Labour in Abuja on 22nd October 2026, has ended without resolution,” the statement said.
It added that the Minister of Labour requested that the meeting be adjourned until October 27 to allow the government to prepare adequately for further discussions.
The preparations, according to the statement, would include bringing relevant ministers and heads of departments and agencies to the negotiating table.
The congress said it remained open to dialogue but would not accept continued delays in addressing workers’ concerns.
“We will report back to our organs, and if no meaningful progress is made on Tuesday, the relevant organs of the NLC will decide the next line of action,” it said.
The labour body urged workers and members of the public to remain calm while the negotiations continue, even as it directed its affiliates and allies to prepare for possible industrial action.
“However, we urge all affiliates of NLC and TUC; all state councils and our civil society allies to be alert and start mobilising for a possible action across the nation while we hope that the tenets of our demands are met by the government,” the statement added.
The October 27 meeting is expected to provide another opportunity for both sides to address the outstanding issues and prevent a possible escalation of the dispute.
However, the NLC’s decision to begin mobilisation suggests that tensions could rise if the next round of talks fails to produce meaningful progress.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has barred its personnel from escorting politicians during campaigns for the 2027 general elections.
Zonal Commanding Officer, RS6, ACM Abimbola Owolabi, gave the directive during her maiden visit to the Cross River Command in Calabar on Wednesday.
Owolabi said patrol vehicles and sirens must not be used for political activities or private engagements, including weddings and funeral processions.
She directed officers deployed to campaign venues to focus exclusively on traffic management to prevent congestion and road crashes.
The zonal head warned personnel against leading political convoys or providing escorts for politicians, stressing that official vehicles must not be used for unauthorised purposes.
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