Like the saying that Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. It means consistently acting in accordance with those principles, even when it’s difficult or no one is watching.

The above described Sentome Obi, a Superintendent of Police (SP) attached to the Bayelsa State Police Command for being being trustworthy, and maintaining a strong moral character during his official duty as Nigerian police officer.

Obi, a Bayelsa native and Head of the Financial and Cybercrime Unit at Zone 16 Command, Yenagoa. was recently honored for the honourable act of rejecting a $17,000 bribe to derail a sensitive investigation.

SP Sentome Obi who was also recipient of the Police Officer of the Year 2024 and IGP Integrity Award was honoured at a high-level state banquet organised by the Bayelsa State Government.

He spoke with The Nation’s OKUNGBOWA AIWERIE

 What informed your decision to reject a 17,000 dollars bribe?

Well, integrity counts. $17,000 is actually a huge amount of money. But we are working for the society; our salaries are from tax payers and we must justify it. So, integrity counts in this case. Those were the facts that necessitated my rejection of the $17000 bribe.

Advertisement

Can you recount what happened and how you ended up rejecting it?

It was a case based on incredible intelligence of suspects who specialise in organ harvesting, rituals and other fraudulent activities. Based on credible intelligence, it was acted upon and the suspects were arrested and several items were recovered. Which goes to confirm that the intelligence was credible.

The suspects now decided to bribe their way out so that it would not come to public knowledge. But based on the training and the integrity we have been mentored and tutored to uphold, we rejected that offer and they were brought to book.

The suspects were paraded sometime last year; around 7th of December, 2024. They were later charged to court.

Do you regret refusing the bribe, knowing that $17,000 is a lot of money?

Not at all. Regret is not even to be mentioned in this case. $17,000 is a huge amount; that is millions of naira. I have never seen that type of money in all my life. But you will recall that it is a regimented organization. The integrity of the organisation is at stake.

Now, ordinarily, some people must have felt like why didn’t we collect the money and just enrich ourselves? But what comes ahead is better than what they are thinking. And today, as you can see, the governor has rewarded me with a three-bedroom bungalow and a brand new car.

Advertisement

So, integrity really pays. You will agree with me that many people have negative perception of the police. But this is going to tell you that we still have the good ones. And to make it clear to everybody in the society, in every organisation we have the bad eggs.

So, the police is a reflection of the society. The authorities keep on educating, sensitising and telling us. We also have other seasoned police officers who have integrity.

How did your family react to the news that you rejected the bribe? Were they happy or sad that you missed an opportunity to become a millionaire?

It was mixed feelings. Some were happy and others were not. But in the end all are now happy based on the reward from the state government and recognition by various bodies.

The Nigeria Police Force has a negative image in the eyes of many Nigerians. Do you think rejecting the money will help in projecting a positive image of the police?

Very well. It has gone a long way to tell people that we still have good police officers and we are trying our best to leave up to expectations.

What is your advice to fellow officers?

Advertisement

Well, they should leave up to expectations. It is not just about the money; integrity counts: who you are, the family that you are coming from, the organisation that you are representing. So, why not do your best? Do the work as it is, forget about bribe, forget about intimidating, forget about turning white to black. The reward actually pays off just as you have seen.

If you have this opportunity again, will you reject or accept it?

I will keep on rejecting and perhaps more bedroom flats and more cars will come as rewards.

Has the police authorities taken cognizance of what you have done?

Very well. I fact, it might interest you to know that I won the best police officer of the year 2024. The IGP awarded me that, and the President, who was represented by the Senate President, was there to give me the award.

I am also the IGP award winner of the integrity police officer of the year. These show that the police hierarchy took cognizance of every effort made by policemen.

Advertisement

Nigeria is currently in the era of advocacy for youths in governance and leadership, as reported by Legit.

This became tense following the passage and signing of the not-too-young-to-run bill under the late President Muhammadu Buhari.

The campaign for youths in positions of authority became a major campaign talk against President Bola Tinubu and his major contender, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, during the 2023 election.

 Tinubu, Atiku to contest in 2027 election

Following the outcome of the 2023 election, the talk has continued to gain ground as politicians began to make alignments and realignments ahead of the 2027 general election. Interestingly, Tinubu and Atiku have also declared interest in the 2027 election. In 2027, Atiku will be 80 while Tinubu will be 74.

Amid the controversies, the age of the governors became part of the talks. According to a report by The Cable Index, Governor Ahmed Ododo, 43, is the youngest governor in Nigeria at present.

Governor Ododo was declared the winner of the November 2023 governorship election in Kogi under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defeating Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Advertisement

Nigerian governors and their ages

As Ododo is the youngest governor, the names and ages of other governors in Nigeria are compiled below:

1. Bala Muhammed (Bauchi): 66 years
2. Douye Diri (Bayelsa): 66 years
3. Hope Uzodinma (Imo): 66 years
4. Charles Soludo (Anambra): 65 years
5. Bassey Otu (Cross River): 65 years
6. Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq (Kwara): 65 years
7. Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa): 65 years
8. Dapo Abiodun (Ogun): 65 years
9. Ademola Adeleke (Osun): 65 years
10. Muhammad Yahaya (Gombe): 63 years
11. Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta): 62 years
12. Umar Namadi (Jigawa): 62 years
13. Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano): 62 years
14. Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom): 61 years
15. Alex Otti (Abia): 60 years
16. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos): 60 years
17. Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo): 60 years
18. Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau): 60 years
19. Nasir Idris (Kebbi): 59 years
20. Dauda Lawal (Zamfara): 59 years
21. Hyacinth Alia (Benue): 59 years
22. Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa): 58 years
23. Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti): 57 years
24. Seyi Makinde (Oyo): 57 years
25. Mai Mala Buni (Yobe): 57 years
26. Babagana Zulum (Borno): 55 years
27. Monday Okpebholo (Edo): 55 years
28. Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto): 55 years
29. Uba Sani (Kaduna): 54 years
30. Dikko Umaru Radda (Katsina): 54 years
31. Agbu Kefas (Taraba): 54 years
32. Peter Mbah (Enugu): 53 years
33. Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger): 51 years
34. Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi): 50 years
35. Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers): 50 years
36. Usman Ododo (Kogi): 43 years

The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives – Federal Health Institutions Sector has denied reports that the union has suspended its ongoing nationwide seven-day warning strike.

Speaking with our correspondent on Friday, the National Public Relations Officer of NANNM-FHI, Omomo Tibiebi, clarified that the strike, which began on Wednesday, remains in effect despite a meeting with the minister earlier in the day.

The nurses embarked on the strike to press home their long-standing demands, including an upward review of shift allowance, adjustment of uniform allowance, a separate salary structure for nurses, an increase in core duty allowance, mass recruitment of nurses, and the establishment of a nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health, among others.

Tibiebi said, “The strike has not been suspended. Earlier today, the NANNM executives had a meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, and it was the minister that went to press to say the strike was called-off.

“He wasn’t the one that called the strike in the first place, so he has no right to call off the strike. So, the strike is still on.”

He added that the union’s National Executive Council would meet tomorrow (Saturday) to review the Federal Government’s promises and determine the next line of action.

“There will be a National Executive Council meeting by tomorrow (Saturday), and that’s when a decision will be made, and we would know if what the Federal Government has promised is good enough for us to suspend the strike,” he stated.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, hospitals nationwide continue to feel the impact of the strike, with patients facing disruptions in healthcare delivery.

Overwhelmed by patient loads, the few available medical staff members are struggling to maintain basic operations.

Many patients have been discharged due to the shortage of nurses, numerous hospital wards remain deserted, skeletal services are running in some areas, while others are completely shut down.

The British electorate has decided to reject Kemi Badenoch, marking a significant moment in the political landscape.

Badenoch, a prominent British politician with Nigerian heritage, has again come under fire after her comments regarding her birthplace, Nigeria.

Critics argue that her outspoken remarks betray a certain level of disregard for her Nigerian roots, suggesting that she is more aligned with her identity as a British citizen than with her heritage.

This perception has been fueled by her rhetoric, which some interpret as prioritizing British values and culture over the traditions and issues of her ancestral country.

As a result, a segment of the public and political observers feel that Badenoch’s actions and statements may contribute to a narrative of disavowal of her Nigerian background in favor of assimilation into her adopted home, the United Kingdom. This tension highlights the complexities faced by individuals straddling multiple identities and the scrutiny they encounter in the political arena.

Badenoch, who recently declared the Tories would ban doctors from striking, complained about resident doctors’ calls for pay restoration.

After she ignorantly claimed that she cannot pass her right of Nigerian citizenship to her children because of her gender.

Advertisement

But reacting in a statement issued on Monday, Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, described Badenoch’s statement as “a display of utter ignorance” and accused her of misinforming the British public to score political points.

Badenoch has not portray her decncy in a manner of respect to her father’s land which raise serious questioning if he’s actually a Nigeria even though she was recently rejected as a British following another indecent post on her X wall.

@ KemiBadenoch, posted: “Britain is our home, not a hotel”. An X user replied to her post known as @ricdie2025,

@ricdie2025: “You’re Nigerian”.

“Britain is not your home”. Britain is the home of the Anglo-Celts.
The Tories, along with Labour, have played a major role in demographically replacing the Indigenous population with cheap foreign workers for the sake of filling labour vacancies just to see 0.1% of GDP growth. Remigration now.”

A former student of Lagos State University (LASU), John Chukwudi, has shared a heartbreaking story about his decision to sell his father’s house for ₦45 million to relocate to Canada.

He revealed that the dire situation in Nigeria, particularly the frustrations caused by the government’s policies and mismanagement, drove him to seek a better life abroad.

The student expressed feelings of desperation and disappointment, highlighting how the challenges of living in Nigeria made them feel that leaving was their only option.

His plea underscores the struggles faced by many young Nigerians who feel compelled to abandon their homes in search of greater opportunities and a more stable future.

After the passing of his father, he made the difficult decision to sell the family home, a beloved residence filled with memories, for a significant sum of ₦45 million.

This money was intended to serve as a foundation for a fresh start in Canada, a country he believed held greater opportunities for his future.

With high hopes and dreams, he embarked on this new journey, imagining a life free from the struggles he faced back in Nigeria.

Advertisement

However, as the weeks turned into months, he found himself grappling with the harsh reality of unemployment in a foreign land. A year has now passed since his arrival, and despite his diligent efforts to secure employment, he remains unemployed.

His frustration is palpable, and the sense of helplessness weighs heavily on him as he navigates the complexities of adapting to a new culture while searching for employment.

As he reflects on the tough decisions he made, the emotional toll of selling his father’s house becomes even more pronounced. He contemplates the sacrifices he endured and is faced with the bitter realization of the steep costs associated with seeking opportunities abroad, questioning whether the gamble he took was worth the outcome.

Attacking the Nigerian government, Chukwudi said: “As a graduate, I was struggling to eat, except I relied on my parent, at a point I was ashamed because everything had to come from my parents. The Nigerian government has put people under unnecessary pressure to take some drastic decisions. I left the country due to bad government nothing else.

“After I graduated from LASU in Lagos, I went back to Enugu to learn fashion deigning profession, after few years I returned back to Lagos but the most annoying thing is that I could not see a good fashion firm to get me employed, but one of my cousins whom I used to sew for told me I would be needed in Canada and I would make more money from what I am doing, I told my parents, he told us how much it will cost me and still told us how many months it will take me to recover such money back if I can take such decisions. My dad took a big gamble to sell his house in Anifowoshe and relocated back to Enugu, hoping that after one year, I should be able to buy new house for him. I am already using 13th month in Canada, I am only doing some useless jobs, unfortunately, my cousin has abandoned me. 

Speaking further on how much he sold his father’s bungalow at Anifowoshe, Ikeja-Lagos, he said: “Of course my parent had planned to relocate back to Enugu due to demolition of houses in Lagos, so he took that decision when the Canada opportunity came up and hope that I will buy a bigger house in less than a year after getting to Canada. We sold the house N45,000,000 and we took N40 million to process my Canada relocation in 2024.”

Advertisement

The insurgency in Southeastern Nigeria is a military conflict that broke out in the city of Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria on 16 January 2021, when the Nigerian Army moved to crush the paramilitary wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

The conflict escalated after the ESN managed to repulse the initial push by the Nigerian Army,[16] but IPOB ended the initial crisis by unilaterally withdrawing the ESN from Orlu.

After a few weeks of quiet, Nigeria launched a military offensive in the area to destroy the ESN.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe, has decried the ongoing violence in the South-East region, accusing some elements within the region of falsely blaming Fulani herdsmen for the crisis, according to The Punch.

Igbokwe made the remarks in a Facebook post on Thursday, where he alleged that the spate of killings and destruction in the South-East was being perpetrated by fellow Igbos.

“The blatant and pathological lies about the killings and destruction in the South East can no longer stand.

“It is Igbo killing Igbo, it is Igbo destroying Igboland and put the blame on Hausa/Fulani herdsmen. This is not our culture. This is sad,” he wrote.

Advertisement

The APC stalwart, who hails from Anambra State, is known for his vocal stance on issues affecting the Igbo region and has consistently called for an end to what he describes as self-inflicted violence.

PUNCH Online reports that on Wednesday, Igbokwe also raised the alarm over what he described as the unchecked and growing menace of ethnic bigotry in Nigeria.

In a statement also posted on his Facebook page, Igbokwe expressed deep concern, warning that many Nigerians are blind to the looming consequences of ethnic divisions.

He wrote, “Good morning Nigerians! Ethnic bigotry is growing hopelessly like wildfire in Nigeria, and our eyes are not open to see the danger.

“I pray that the veil covering our eyes will be removed so that we can see clearly. Make we de play ooo.”

Advertisement