From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State would soon establish an agency to regulate activities that result in erosion and other environmental menace on its waterways.

This followed the recent Supreme Court judgment affirming the rights of Bayelsa and Lagos states over the control and management of above the surface activities on their waterways.

Governor Douye Diri disclosed this on Wednesday during the 189th meeting of the state executive council in Government House, Yenagoa.

Diri said both states successfully challenged the Federal Government at the apex court over the control of their waterways, resulting in the landmark judgement.

According to him, the state’s Attorney-General was studying the judgment and would provide the legal framework for the establishment of a state waterways agency.

He said: “Our government joined hands with that of Lagos State and we were in court with the Federal Government over the control of our waterways. At the end of the day, that partnership yielded results as the Supreme Court gave judgement in favour of both states.

“I have directed the Attorney-General to study the judgement and we shall now set up our own waterways agency so that activities taking place on our waterways, including the transportation of black sand and other resources, will be properly regulated under the authority of the Bayelsa State Government.”

The governor warned against illegal and unregulated black sand mining activities in the state, stressing that while the government supports youth employment and economic opportunities, all resource extraction must be carried out legally and sustainably.

He noted that black sand is a valuable natural resource deposited in Bayelsa and must be managed responsibly to avoid repeating the environmental devastation caused by decades of oil and gas exploration.

“There is no government, particularly the government of Bayelsa that is doing so much to engage our youths and create opportunities for them to work that will at the same time prevent them from earning a living. We want our youths to work, but we want them to engage in legitimate activities,” he stated.

He expressed concern that indiscriminate mining of black sand could lead to severe environmental consequences, including erosion, environmental degradation and the destruction of coastal ecosystems.

“We are already suffering from the challenges of oil and gas exploitation, environmental pollution, environmental degradation and the loss of aquatic resources. We do not want a repeat of that experience through the unregulated mining of black sand.”

He stated that some operators, including foreigners, had been extracting and transporting black sand from the state’s waterways and coastal areas without the necessary authorisation from either the federal or state governments.

“Initially, some of these operators were not even engaging with government authorities. They were taking black sand from the high seas and transporting it without proper certification, authorisation or regulation. Such activities cannot be allowed to continue.”

He directed the Ministry of Environment to intensify engagement with mining operators and explore opportunities for value addition within the state rather than allowing raw materials to be extracted and exported without tangible benefits to the Bayelsa people.

“Going forward, we intend to back these measures with law. It will no longer be a matter of executive directives alone. A bill will be prepared and taken to the House of Assembly so that all stakeholders can contribute, and when passed, everyone will be guided by the law.”

Diri urged youths and members of the public to seek accurate information about government policies rather than relying on misinformation, assuring them that the administration’s objective is to ensure that Bayelsa’s natural resources become a blessing rather than a source of environmental and economic challenges.

He directed the Commissioners for Information, Orientation and Strategy, and her Environment counterpart to collaborate in educating the public on the government’s position regarding black sand mining and the responsible management of natural resources in the state.

On power supply, the governor appealed for patience from residents over the ongoing expansion of electricity distribution under the state’s independent power project.

He explained that outages and delays were caused by infrastructure upgrade requirements and recent gas supply disruptions resulting from a leakage on the pipelines.

By Raphael Atuu, Abuja

Concerned indigenous contractors of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) on Monday staged a protest in Abuja over alleged non-payment for services rendered to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration more than three years ago.

The contractors claimed that the outstanding payments have severely affected their businesses and the livelihoods of their families.

According to the protesters, they dragged the matter to court but alleged that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, failed to appear at any of the court sittings.

They further alleged that security operatives deployed teargas to disperse them during the protest.

The Chairman of the Concerned FCDA Indigenous Contractors said the group subsequently reported the incident to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Special Protection Unit (SPU), Femi Haruna, seeking his intervention for a calm and peaceful resolution.

The matter is currently pending before a court of competent jurisdiction.

As of press time, neither the Office of the Minister of the FCT nor the FCDA had issued an official response to the allegations of non-payment, absence from court, or the use of teargas.

Some legal practitioners in the country have continued to express divergent views on the best approach to handling the rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant terrorists.

Recall that the Federal Government recently introduced the initiative as part of its strategies to tackle the perennial security challenges plaguing the country through non-kinetic means.

However, the move has since generated widespread debate.

While some Nigerians support the approach, others argue that convicted terrorists should face the full weight of the law rather than be reintegrated into society.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday in Lagos, Vincent Aminu, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikare-Akoko Branch, Ondo State, called for strict punishment for terrorists, especially in cases where attacks resulted in loss of lives.

According to him, strong penalties are necessary to deter terrorism and safeguard national security.

Aminu noted that rehabilitation and reintegration should only be considered in exceptional cases where individuals were coerced into joining terrorist groups and may not have fully understood the consequences of their actions.

He advised that such cases should be thoroughly investigated before any rehabilitation programme is approved.

“Rehabilitation is mercy, not justice, and must be measuredly used,” he said.

He stressed that public safety and accountability must remain the government’s priority.

Also speaking, Bayo Akinadé, another legal practitioner, described terrorism as a criminal expression of dissatisfaction by groups seeking to challenge the government.

According to him, the primary aim of terrorism is to create fear and insecurity in society, thereby portraying the government as incapable of protecting its citizens.

Akinadé said confidence in the government’s commitment to fighting terrorism had already been weakened, adding that discussions around the rehabilitation and reintegration of terrorists could further fuel suspicion among citizens.

He argued that in some societies, terrorism had been weaponized by political interests seeking to destabilise governments, adding that introducing rehabilitation measures could be seen as an admission of inability by authorities to confront the challenges.

“The act of terrorism, whether internal or local, is often presented as an agitation to draw government attention to the grievances of those who feel marginalised,” he said.

He maintained that the government should not indulge terrorists in any way and that perpetrators should be dealt with decisively.

On his part, Oladeji Olayemi, another lawyer, said that the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, criminalises terrorism and all activities connected to it.

He noted that the Constitution guarantees every citizen’s right to life and that such rights should not be unlawfully violated.

According to him, neither the Constitution nor existing anti-terrorism laws provide rehabilitation as a means of absolving terrorists of their criminal activities.

“The supposed rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant terrorists into society is a baffling concept because it has no strict legal backing,” he said.

Olayemi advised that individuals accused of terrorism should be prosecuted before the Federal High Court and made to face the penalties prescribed by law.

He argued that reintegration undermined justice and should not be encouraged by the government.

According to him, allowing terrorists to return to society without facing appropriate consequences could send the wrong signal and encourage others to engage in similar activities.

“The right to life is important and should be safeguarded by the government at all costs,” he said.

Olayemi added that the Terrorism Act, 2022, already provides penalties for terrorism-related offences, including life imprisonment and, in some cases, the death penalty.

“Rehabilitation and reintegration of terrorists undermine justice and fail to provide closure for families who have lost loved ones to terrorist attacks,” he added.

He urged the government to remain accountable to citizens and avoid policies that could be perceived as rewarding acts of terrorism.