Gunmen abduct Joseph Yobo’s brother

Bolaji Ogundele, Port Harcourt - 06.07.2008

Unknown gunmen yesterday abducted Norum Yobo, a brother to Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo, hours after the Rivers state government called on youths in the state to take advantage of numerous opportunities lined out for lawful means of living.

Norum, it was gathered, was abducted from the Rumuomasi area of Port Harcourt while returning to the hotel where he was lodging. No group had claimed responsibility for the act as at the time of filing this report.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Rivers state police command, Mrs Rita Inoma-Abbey, said no information had come forth from the abductors, but the men of the state’s police command had already gotten on the case.

Meanwhile, the state government has advised youths in the state to stand up to take advantage of Chief Albert Horsfall-chaired Rehabilitation Committee and carve meaningful lives for themselves.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Ogbonna Nwuke, who made this call while briefing journalists of the decisions of the state’s executive council Thursday evening, also informed of government’s plan to employ more qualified Rivers indigenes for the health and education sectors.

Mr Nwuke appealed to the youths to abandon criminality and take advantage of the new Rehabilitation Committee set up in the state take advantage of the numerous opportunities offered to become good citizens.

On the new employment opportunities, Nwuke said “giving government commitment towards employing qualified persons, the Executive Council has given directive to the Commissioners of Health and Education, to work out logistics on the best way forward in order to lay the foundation for the employment of qualified Rivers people into Health and Education sectors”.

He explained that the directive shows that the state government has not being toying with the issue of providing appropriate employment opportunities for its citizens, noting that such gestures would continue to be explored in other sectors of the economy.

The Information Commissioner also expressed satisfaction of the state exco over the pace of work across the state capital, including the ongoing demolition of illegal structure exercise, and appealed to those whose structures have been marked for demolition, to cooperate with the authority by removing them such structures.

Mr Nwuke said the action to demolish illegal structures was in the collective interest of society, and in line with the Urban Renewal Programme of government, to ensure a planned environment, emphasizing that the action is not targeted at none indigenes or anyone, but to allow for drainages as well as inter locking walk ways.