By Magnus Chukwudi,
Port Harcourt

The Police in Rivers State have rescued five students of the Rivers State University.

According to the press release from the office of the Police Public Relations Officer PPRO Supritendent of Police SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the rescued victims have been taken to hospital.

The five abducted victims are – Prince London, male, Azubuike Kelechukwu, male and Elizabeth Aniete, female, Onyebuchi Precious, male and London Sampson male, who were abducted by yet-to-be-identified cultists from their isolated residences, have been successfully rescued unhurt.

The rescue operation was conducted at Rumudogo 2 Community in Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State by the Command’s Tactical Teams, in collaboration with other sister security agencies and with the support of the community.

The police further noted that the rescued victims have been taken to the hospital for medical examination, while intensive efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing cultists/abductors.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, vowed that, he will not rest until all those responsible are arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.

He also urges continued collaboration from sister security agencies, the community, and the general public, while assuring residents to go about their lawful businesses without fear because their safety is our priority. ###

By Magnus Chukwudi, Port Harcourt

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has extended a major financial lifeline to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and disabled veterans in Rivers State. The support comes under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Social Investment Programme, a nationwide economic empowerment effort.

The event, held on Wednesday at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Port Harcourt, coincided with the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, with the theme: “Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress”.

Wife of the Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, who represented the First Lady of Nigeria, presented the small business grants to the beneficiaries.

The RHI empowerment effort covers all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Associations (DEPOWA). Each jurisdiction will have 250 PWDs receive a N200,000 Business Recapitalisation Grant per beneficiary, amounting to N50million. In total, N1.9 billion is being disbursed to 9,500 PWDs across Nigeria.

Senator Tinubu noted that the launch was intentionally scheduled for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. She expressed delight at unveiling the programme under the RHI Social Investment Framework.

She emphasised the administration’s commitment to inclusive growth, stating that the nation becomes stronger when all citizens are empowered to contribute. She also quoted Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

According to the First Lady, “Our commitment to improving lives has also been demonstrated through various interventions in
Agriculture, Economic Empowerment, Education, Health, and Social Welfare, aimed at improving the well-being of families across our country. To all our beneficiaries, I encourage you to make good use of this opportunity.”

The nation’s First Lady said that the programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which seeks to promote inclusive growth and shared prosperity by ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind, especially those whose needs are often overlooked.

She announced that the RHI Governing Board has approved making the Economic Empowerment Programme for PWDs an annual event every December 3.

She thanked the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara; and his wife, Lady Valerie Fubara, for their support, and encouraged the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity.

In her speech, Wife of Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, assured that the Renewed Hope Initiative in the state will collaborate with the National Commission on Persons with Disabilities to promote an inclusive society where the rights and privileges of persons with disabilities are guaranteed.

She said that the celebration of the 2025 World Disability Day, reaffirms the government’s commitment to create a more just, inclusive, equitable and sustainable State, where no one is left behind.

Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, also delivered a strong message of empowerment to the beneficiaries: “You are not defined by limitations. You are defined by your strength, your creativity, your persistence, your brilliance, and your unique contribution to this state.”

She urged society to champion inclusion, noting that disability is not a tragedy but that discrimination, silence, and exclusion are.

Lady Valerie Fubara confirmed that 250 beneficiaries in Rivers State received the N200,000 grant. She encouraged all the beneficiaries to utilise the funds wisely: “Let it be a seed that grows into something greater; a business that sustains you and your family.”

Also speaking, Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme, Dr Vetty Agala, announced the enrollment of the 250 persons with disabilities into the state’s contributory health protection programme, adding that the beneficiaries will now enjoy free medical care and services at primary, secondary and tertiary levels in the State.

“You’re going to not only access primary care, but anytime you require secondary or tertiary services, you will be referred to those levels of care at no extra cost,” in line with the government’s “Health For All Rivers Initiative,” she said.

Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mrs. Lorenta Davis-Dimkpa, stated that efforts are underway to establish a South-South office for the Disability Commission. She also confirmed ongoing work to domesticate the 2018 Disability Act.

In her goodwill message, Justice Mary Odili (rtd), commended both the Federal and Rivers State governments for taking bold steps to ensure persons with disabilities are included in governance.

Earlier in her speech, the State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Hon Tonye Briggs Oniyide, had said that the programme was carefully designed to address the needs of actual persons with disabilities and disabled veterans, helping them upscale their businesses across the State.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Kie Obamanu, called for full implementation of disability laws to eliminate discrimination. He expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s First Lady and the wife of the Rivers State Governor for their support.

The Rivers State Ministry of Health presented a Universal Health Coverage Ambassador Award to Lady Valerie Fubara in recognition of her contributions to improving access to healthcare services.

By David Owei,Bayelsa

Nine students awarded foreign post-graduate scholarships by the Presidential Amnesty Programme have graduated from their master’s degree rprogrammes in universities in the United Kingdom.

The successful scholars are the first graduates in the offshore post-graduate scholarship deployment to UK institutions by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic session.

They graduated from the Anglia Ruskin University, University of Dundee and The University of Law with master’s degrees in cyber security, data science and engineering, law, construction and civil engineering management, project management, and ICT.

Also, 711 undergraduate and post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries are expected to graduate from universities within Nigeria this year.

The PAP, on Wednesday, 3 December, 2025, organised a graduation reception for the scholars in London.

Otuaro has congratulated them on their successful graduation, stressing that they completed their programmes in record time which shows the seriousness they had put into their studies.

He said they have justified the Federal Government’s investment in their education with their successful graduation, and urged other beneficiaries not to be distracted in their academic pursuits.

“We congratulate these scholars on their successful graduation. It shows that they took their studies seriously. That is what we demand of every scholarship beneficiary, whether at the undergraduate or post-graduate level”, Otuaro said.

He reiterated his unwavering commitment to expanding the scholarship scheme to create more opportunities for indigent students of Niger Delta extraction to access higher education with a view to closing the human capital development gap in the region.

Otuaro said it was for this reason he deployed 3800 beneficiaries in-country in the 2024-2025 academic year, and increased the figure to 3900 in the 2025-2026 academic session with 200 for foreign scholarships.

Otuaro has so far deployed 7700 students for the PAP scholarship scheme within Nigeria in less than two years.

Within this period, also, he has also deployed 162 students from the region for post-graduate programmes in targeted disciplines in the UK universities.

According to him, this is in conformity with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu for the Niger Delta, who has given unprecedented support to the PAP because of his sincere love for the area.

The PAP boss said, “Our decision aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the Niger Delta. We will continue to create more higher educational opportunities for students from indigent backgrounds in our region.

“We are also deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate in informal education and other areas for the sustainable peace and socio-economic advancement of the region.”