By David Owei,Bayelsa

The Ogbia Brotherhood Youth Council (OBYC) Worldwide has condemned the planned protest over the legal dispute involving Azikel Group President, Dr. Azibapu Godbless Eruani, CFR, and Mr. Kariyai Daukoru, describing the action as unnecessary while the matter remains before a competent court.

OBYC, in a statement issued on Saturday and made available to newsmen, urged Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone Chairman, Comrade Peres Ineife, to suspend the proposed protest and allow the judicial process to run its course.

It also appealed to the newly elected IYC Worldwide President, Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete, to promote dialogue and reconciliation among the parties involved in the Aviation Training initiative.

OBYC maintained that Dr. Eruani’s aviation training initiative was a philanthropic programme designed to empower Bayelsa youths and rejected allegations that he intended to victimise anyone.

The Council further called on Ijaw youths, political leaders and stakeholders to exercise restraint, respect the rule of law, and avoid actions capable of undermining the judiciary or disrupting peace.

By David Owei,Bayelsa

Two fishermen have been declared missing after their boat capsized off the coast of Opu-Okumbiri in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

It was gathered that the missing fishermen were identified as Elder Sunday Sample Timothy and his assistant, Mr. Avarada.

According to a source, Chief Saturday Akimi-Omunhuo, a community leader, the two men left for a fishing expedition at about 1:00 a.m. on Friday when the outboard engine of their fishing boat reportedly developed a fault while they were far out at sea.

Chief Akimi-Omunhuo said a rescue boat towed the disabled vessel toward the continental shelf and the Atlantic coastline. However, as they approached the shore, strong waves reportedly capsized the faulty boat, throwing the two fishermen into the water.

He narrated that the rescue boat and those aboard reached the shore safely, but the two fishermen have remained missing.

Community members were said to immediately launch a search operation along the coastline and surrounding waters. The search team later recovered the fishermen’s fishing gear, but there was no sign of the missing men as of the time of filing this report.

Chief Akimi-Omunhuo described the incident as tragic, noting that similar accidents have occurred over the years in the coastal communities.

He appealed to the Brass Local Government Council, the Bayelsa State Government, the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to provide improved safety equipment, weather monitoring systems and other support for fishing communities whose livelihoods depend on the sea.

“Our people depend on fishing for survival. We need better safety measures to reduce the loss of lives on our waterways,” he said.

Search efforts for the two missing fishermen were still ongoing at the time of this report.

Authorities were yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

By Our Correspondent

To God be the glory,no fewer than 68 passengers narrowly escaped death on Thursday after an Enugu Air aircraft crash-landed at the Benin Airport in Edo State.

The aircraft, with registration number 5N-ENR, was said to have been operating on the Enugu–Benin–Lagos route when the incident occurred.

A source at the Benin Airport, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent ghat the aircraft overshot the runway after landing and veered into a nearby bush.

The source said officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) responded promptly to the incident and safely evacuated all passengers from the aircraft.

“The aircraft overshot the runway and entered the nearby bush. FAAN officials immediately swung into action and evacuated all the passengers. No casualty was recorded,” the source said.

The exact number of crew members on board the aircraft could not be confirmed as of the time of filing this report.

Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the cause of the incident, while investigations are expected to commence