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Bayelsa flood victims cry as IDP camps close,‘We have no place to go,’
RESIDENTS sacked by the devastating flood in Bayelsa State, who the state government has ordered to vacate Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps, in public schools, have fallen into depression, because of abandonment and starvation, and cried out to the state government to come to their rescue, as they have no place to go.
With the resumption of schools, (on Monday), the state government had directed the closure of IDP camps in public schools at Akenfa, Agudama-Epie, Okutukutu, Edepie and Owom suburbs of Yenagoa, the state capital, but the IDPs, who had their homes submerged by flood, complained that the overflow has not receded completely in their communities.
Some of them, who spoke to NDV, lamented that while the state government took special care of the displaced persons in the two government camps, but neglected the displaced persons in others, particularly those in public schools.
Unpleasant treatment — West, victim
A member of the Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, in Bayelsa State, Mr. David West, said: “Personally, I lived with the IDPs to experience it. Ordinarily, I am opportune to stay somewhere else, but I refused to. I stayed in one of the government uncompleted secondary schools. Until now, I am still living there with my family.
“Officially, government has refused to come and dislodge us, although they have sent us a message that schools will soon resume; that we have to vacate the place but then, the treatment is not welcoming.
“Throughout the period, I have seen no government official come to that camp, but some individuals came to share with the people. The government officials were busy telling us to go to the two government IDP camps.
“If everybody was to go there, will there be space for all of them? They do not know that we are even assisting the government to gather data.
“Till now, people are still donating relief materials, so who are they going to give these things to, since they have dislodged us?
No place to go — Biriye, IDP
A displaced person, Miss Helen Biriye, asserted: “We are still at the St. Peters Primary School camp, Ovom, Yenagoa. Flood destroyed our house and we have nowhere to go. We heard that school would resume on Monday, but my aged mother, siblings and I have nowhere to seek refuge.
“We desperately need help; we are begging the government to assist us. Even if it is a one-room apartment, we will manage. Please, you people should help us talk to the government and other good spirited people and organisations to come to our aid.”
Govt failed flood victims — Pastor Agu
Coordinator, IDP Camp, Edepie, Pastor Vitus Agu, said: “First, we want to thank the state government for allowing us to take refuge in this public school, but they failed is to take care of the IDPs. Although the flood is receding, some people are still in the IDP camps because, in their area, the flood is yet to recede and schools are resuming.
“Now, the state government has given orders that all camps should be closed because schools are resuming. In our camps, most women are crying. Most of the IDPs are confused, they do not know what to do, and some are even falling into depression.
“They have nowhere to go and don’t know how to start afresh; they neither have food nor finance. So, we are begging the government to come to the aid of these people and do something for them,” he said.
BYSEMA unfair — Pastor Nathaniel
Also lamenting the fate of IDPs housed outside the two government IDP camps, the Chairman of the Coalition of Respective Leadership of All Aggrieved 2022 Flood Prompted IDP Camps, Pastor Leighe Nathaniel, said the government was unfair to most of the IDP camps, in the distribution of palliatives and relief materials.
“We observed with dismay that the State Emergency Management Committee, BYSEMA, short-circuited its daily relief response to only the Igbogene and Oxbow-Lake IDP camps’ three times daily feeding, provision of a standby medical team and facilities, coordination and ushering of external donors to the said two camps alone.
“Forum has further observed with deep dismay that the Bayelsa State government’s ugly and bitter history of hoarding relief materials is threatening to repeat.
“We are further thrown into a state of deep disapproval over the avowed intention of the Bayelsa State Emergency Management Committee, regarding its next plan-of-action of closing all IDP camps, when the IDPs are yet to return to their homes.
“Government has to come up with a modality to rectify the discrepancy in the administration of palliatives between the two aforementioned preferentially treated camps and all other ill-treated camps. Government has to discontinue with the agenda of ward-base apportionment of the palliatives, but let it remain community-based.
“Forum further observed with dismay that they distributed the palliatives to various targets, without due consultation of stakeholders of the intended receipt-ends and thus warranting the eventual non-delivery of the palliatives to the originally designated destinations,” he said.
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is hosting a two-day strategic meeting with commissioners, permanent secretaries, and directors of agriculture, fisheries & livestock in the nine Niger Delta states.
The meeting, which kicks off on Thursday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, would be addressed by the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, who is expected to outline his plans for a retreat and agricultural summit for the Niger Delta region in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s agrarian programme.
An invitation extended to the stakeholders by the NDDC Director of Agric and Fisheries, Dr Winifred Madume, stated that the Commission was determined to make the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government a reality in the Niger Delta region by ensuring food security for the people.
Recall that the NDDC Chief Executive Officer had earlier assured that the Commission would align with the President’s vision for agriculture, to ensure that agriculture served as a platform for peace and security in the Niger Delta region.
Ogbuku promised: “Any time from now, the NDDC will convene a mini-agricultural retreat for state governments and commissioners of agriculture. States in the region have their various areas of strength in agriculture. We aim to establish regional agricultural integration, which will later evolve into a regional agricultural summit where a comprehensive master plan for the region’s agriculture will be developed.”
The Managing Director affirmed that the NDDC was engaging all stakeholders to ensure harmony and cooperation in developing the hitherto neglected Niger Delta region.
Reflecting on the Federal Government’s agricultural policies, Ogbuku stressed the need to bring them home to the Niger Delta region, noting that the NDDC would continue to promote policies and programmes that enhance food security and poverty reduction in the states .
President Bola Tinubu has approved the introduction of a 15 per cent ad-valorem import duty on petrol and diesel imports into Nigeria.
The initiative is aimed at protecting local refineries and stabilising the downstream market, but it is likely to raise pump prices.
In a letter dated October 21, 2025, reported publicly on October 30, 2025, and addressed to the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Tinubu directed immediate implementation of the tariff as part of what the government described as a “market-responsive import tariff framework.”
The letter, signed by his Private Secretary, Damilotun Aderemi, and obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, conveyed the President’s approval following a proposal by the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Zacch Adedeji.
The proposal sought the application of a 15 per cent duty on the cost, insurance and freight value of imported petrol and diesel to align import costs with domestic market realities.
Adedeji, in his memo to the President, explained that the measure was part of ongoing reforms to boost local refining, ensure price stability, and strengthen the naira-based oil economy in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda for energy security and fiscal sustainability.
“The core objective of this initiative is to operationalise crude transactions in local currency, strengthen local refining capacity, and ensure a stable, affordable supply of petroleum products across Nigeria,” Adedeji stated.
The FIRS boss also warned that the current misalignment between locally refined products and import parity pricing has created instability in the market.
“While domestic refining of petrol has begun to increase and diesel sufficiency has been achieved, price instability persists, partly due to the misalignment between local refiners and marketers,” he wrote.
He noted that import parity pricing- the benchmark for determining pump prices, often falls below cost recovery levels for local producers, particularly during foreign exchange and freight fluctuations, putting pressure on emerging domestic refineries.
Adedeji added that the government’s responsibility was now “twofold, to protect consumers and domestic producers from unfair pricing practices and collusion, while ensuring a level playing field for refiners to recover costs and attract investments.”
He argued that the new tariff framework would discourage duty-free fuel imports from undercutting domestic producers and foster a fair and competitive downstream environment.
According to projections contained in the letter, the 15 per cent import duty could increase the landing cost of petrol by an estimated N99.72 per litre.
“At current CIF levels, this represents an increment of approximately 99.72 per litre, which nudges imported landed costs toward local cost-recovery without choking supply or inflating consumer prices beyond sustainable thresholds. Even with this adjustment, estimated Lagos pump prices would remain in the range of N964.72 per litre ($0.62), still significantly below regional averages such as Senegal ($1.76 per litre), Cote d’Ivoire ($1.52 per litre), and Ghana ($1.37 per litre).”
The policy comes as Nigeria intensifies efforts to reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and ramp up domestic refining.
The 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery in Lagos has commenced diesel and aviation fuel production, while modular refineries in Edo, Rivers and Imo states have started small-scale petrol refining.
However, despite these gains, petrol imports still account for up to 67 per cent of national demand.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has decorated the new Service Chiefs with their new ranks in the military to suit their new positions.
The newly decorated handlers of the nation’s Armed Forces include Lieutenant General, now General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, as Chief of Defence Staff; and Major General now Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiendeye Undiendeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).
Others are Major General, now Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff (COAS); Air Vice Marshal, now Air Marshal Kevin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff;
Service chiefs pledge improved security, local arms production, technology use
Tinubu last Friday announced the replacement of the Service Chiefs, a move that has been attributed to the need to refocus and strengthen national security.
While commenting on his action, President Tinubu, in a post on his verified X handle, charged the new military chief helmsmen to “deepen professionalism, vigilance, and unity within our Armed Forces as they serve our nation with honour”.
Tinubu decorates Service Chiefs with new ranks
Tinubu decorates Service Chiefs
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has decorated the new Service Chiefs with their new ranks in the military to suit their new positions.
The newly decorated handlers of the nation’s Armed Forces include Lieutenant General, now General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, as Chief of Defence Staff; and Major General now Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiendeye Undiendeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).
Others are Major General, now Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff (COAS); Air Vice Marshal, now Air Marshal Kevin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff;
Service chiefs pledge improved security, local arms production, technology use
Tinubu last Friday announced the replacement of the Service Chiefs, a move that has been attributed to the need to refocus and strengthen national security.
While commenting on his action, President Tinubu, in a post on his verified X handle, charged the new military chief helmsmen to “deepen professionalism, vigilance, and unity within our Armed Forces as they serve our nation with honour”.
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