The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Benin

  • Edo begins upgrade of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium

    The renovation of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, for it to meet international standard has commenced in earnest, the News men reports.

    Mr Femi James, Site Engineer, Peculiar Ultimate Consult, handler of the contract, said in Benin on Tuesday that all the seats in the 20,000 capacity stadium would be replaced with modern ones.

    According him, the tartan tracks and the offices will be modernised while the synthetic grass in the pitch would be replaced with natural grass.

    James said that the gymnasium and the lawn tennis courts would also be upgraded to international standard.

    “There will be a roof over the entire stand of the stadium. The trusses that will support the roof will be erected in the next two weeks.

    “Good drains will be built to take care of the flooding challenge in the stadium.

    Read Also: Ahmed advocates greater media freedom

    “The swimming pool is part of the project but it will be done in the second phase. The entire renovation work will be completed by October,” he said.

    The News men reports that the Bendel Insurance of Benin will now play its home matches at the University of Benin football field as a result.

    The Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, formerly known as Ogbe Stadium, had undergone various forms of renovation under past administrations in the state.

    Its last major one was in 2002 as part of preparation for that year’s National Sports Festival, which the state hosted.

    The stadium is named after a two-time governor of the state, Dr Samuel Ogbemudia.

    He was the Governor of the then Mid-West Region and later Military Governor of Bendel State, all between 1967 and 1975.

    NAN

  • Edo tasks LG chairmen, Councillors on child immunization

    Edo Government has tasked the newly sworn-in council chairmen and councilors to join in sensitising rural dwellers on the need to make their children available for immunisation.

    It said this would assist the Obaseki’s administration in actualisng its 100 per cent coverage of the exercise.

    The State Deputy Gov. Philip Shaibu gave the charge on Thursday in Benin while addressing chairmen and councilors on the need for effective Primary Health Care Delivery at the local government level.

    Shaibu informed them that the government had been able to raise the rating of immunisation coverage to over 80 per cent, while their support was needed to reach the state’s target of 100 per cent coverage.

    Read Also:  NMA threatens to go on strike in Edo

    He advised them to personally take charge of the immunisation process in their domain and reach out to stakeholders in areas identified as non complaint.

    Mrs Faith Iyere, the State Coordinator of Word Health Organisation ( WHO ), urged the chairmen to ensure quick release of counterpart funds and ensure areas of non compliance were strictly monitored.

    Mr Patrick Agunede, the Council Chairman of Esan West Local Government, promised to address peculiarities in the area to ensure every child in the state was fully immunised.

    Agunede said that he had met with traditional rulers, religious leaders and village heads on the need to make their children available for immunisation.

    NAN

  • Four Brigade Nigerian Army holds cultural festival March 10

    Four Brigade Nigerian Army holds cultural festival March 10

    The 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Benin, says it will hold its West African Social Activities ( WASA ) festival on March 10.

    A statement by Capt. Mohammed Maidawa, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, in Benin, on Monday said that the cultural day and get together would take place at the Ekenhua Barracks by 2 p.m.

    Maidawa said the event would showcase the nation’s vibrant cultures which abound in the barracks.

    He said WASA “is an annual social event organised in military formations in which soldiers and their families come together and merry”.

    READ ALSO: Troops arrest seven herdsmen in Benue

    According to him, it is also an event in which all those who contributed to Army successes during the out-gone year are rewarded.

    “It is also an opportunity for us to throw our doors open to wider community in an atmosphere of friendship, good neighborliness and harmony in line with the Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai’s desire to promote a more harmonious civil-military relationship,” he said.

    NAN

  • Herdsmen: Oba Ewuare II holds Special Security meeting

    Herdsmen: Oba Ewuare II holds Special Security meeting

    The Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, has convened a special security meeting to help tackle herdsmen menace, kidnapping, human trafficking and illegal migration.

    Part of the decision reached at the meeting was the need to set up a task force at each of the three senatorial districts as well as forming monitoring units at both the local and state levels to check the activities of herdsmen and other criminal activities.

    It was also agreed at the meeting that a committee headed by the Commissioner of Police should be set up to help develop a template that would be used by the State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs in achieving the desired peace and tranquillity in the state.

    Various security agents present at the meeting agreed to implement the decisions reached it it would bring peace and tranquillity to the state.

    The security agents however requested for adequate logistics to enable them tackle security challenges in the state.

    They also demanded for the provision of enough vehicles and communication equipment to enable them respond to emergency or distress calls.

    Village heads were requested to provide security agents with useful information that would enable them track down these criminal elements in the society.

    The Benin Monarch told the gathering that the purpose of the meeting was to hear from the security agencies on the way out of the security challenges in the state.

    Oba Ewuare II who expressed worries over crimes rates disclosed that he started putting plans together since 2015 on how to tackle the problems.‎

    He assured security chiefs present at the meeting that required logistic requested to ensure effective security of the state would be communicated to the State Government for immediate action.

    Leaders of the Hausa, Fulani and Nupe communities in Edo State who spoke separately blamed cattle dealers for security problem and stressed the need for concerted efforts to ensure that herdsmen who destroy farms were made to pay for them.

    They promised to hold meetings with village heads in the various local governments to sensitize them on how to handle the issue of cattle herdsmen.

    The meeting was attended by the various heads of security agencies in the state including the Police, the Army, the Directorate of State Security, the immigration, Prisons and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp.

     

  • Power stations generate 94,627MWh in 2017 Q4 – NBS

    Power stations generate 94,627MWh in 2017 Q4 – NBS

    Nigerian power stations generated 94,627 megawatts per hour (MWh) of energy daily in the fourth quarter of 2017, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.

    The bureau’s website on Thursday in Abuja showed that daily energy generation attained a peak of 105,152 megawatts on Dec. 8.

    The website was tagged: “Power Sector Report: Energy Generated and Sent Out and Consumed and Load Allocation for Fourth Quarter, 2017.’’

    The report said the thermal stations generated 84,026 MWh while the hydro stations generated 21, 126 MWh out the total power generated.

    The report, however, stated that the lowest daily energy generation was 73,246MWh and was attained on Oct. 18.

    According to the report, on Oct. 18, thermal stations generated 55,941 MWh out of the 73,246MWh  while the hydro stations generated the remaining 17,305 MWh.

    It stated that metering data for all discos reflected that 3.45 million consumers, representing 46.16 per cent of the total 7.48 million consumers captured had been metered.

    The report stated that Benin Disco had the highest percentage of consumers metered because 69.49 per cent of the them had so far been metered.

    It said that the figure was closely followed by Eko Disco with 60.73 per cent and Ikeja Disco with 55.95 per cent.

    According to the report, Yola and Enugu Discos recorded the least percentage of consumers metered with 23.61 per cent and 27.72 per cent.

    NAN

  • Policemen abandon checkpoints in Benin 

    Policemen abandon checkpoints in Benin 

    …cultists behead man

     

    Policemen attached to various Division in Benin City and environs including traffic wardens on Wednesday abandoned their various ‘duty post’.

    No policeman was seen on ‘duty’ in some streets and major roads our reporter monitored.

    The non-presence of policemen in major roads and streets of Benin City  might  not be unconnected with the violent protests that erupted in parts of the city over the killing of a driver for refusing to part with N100.

    Four operational vehicles belonging to the Edo State Police Command were razed even as policemen fled for their lives during the protest.

    Traffic wardens that used to stop and check vehicle particulars were not seen on the streets and major roads.

    Meanwhile, suspected cultists have beheaded a man identified as Osazuwa.

    Osazuwa, a father of three, was killed at Iyobosa Street off Muritala Mohammed Way, Benin City.

    Read Also: Four feared dead as riot hits Benin over death of driver

    It was gathered that the killing is connected to the renewed cult war between rival cult groups

    A witness who craved for anonymity said, “The gunmen came in commando style and started shooting sporadically to scare away people and afterwards attacked the victim (Osazuwa).

    “The man tried to run for his life but a member of the gang who had closed on him hit the deceased with a rod and he fell down.

    “Other members of the gang immediately descended on the victim and  used cutlass to severe his head”. 

  • Four feared dead as riot hits Benin over death of driver

    Four feared dead as riot hits Benin over death of driver

    Riots broke out in parts of Benin City, the Edo State capital, yesterday following the death of a commercial bus driver identified as Sunny. He was allegedly pushed to his death by a policeman.

    The protest by the commercial bus drivers made many pedestrians stranded, especially those going to Oregbeni market at Ikpoba-Hill.

    Five police Hilux vans and a truck belonging to the Edo State government for its task force activities were set ablaze in different areas by the rioters.

    The mobile court sitting at the Third Junction was disrupted by the rioters and everybody arrested for various offences were set free before the vehicle they were kept was burnt.

    Three other persons, including a policeman, were said to have been killed in the fracas that ensued.

    Some policemen that were at the check point where the incident happened managed to escaped but a witness said a policeman was lynched.

    Transportation fares soared by over 200 percent from Third junction to Ikpoba-Hill or New Benin area and from Ring Road to Ikpoba-Hill axis.

    The deceased driver was said to have fixed his wedding for next week Saturday.

    His fiancée, who was in the bus with him when the incident happened on the Muritala Mohammed Way in Benin City, was said to have gone into shock after narrating what happened.

    An eyewitness said she told sympathisers that the police demanded for money and the deceased offered N100 but the policemen insisted that it must be N200.

    She reportedly said it was during an argument that the police pushed her fiancé into a moving truck which crushed his head.

    It was gathered that the incident happened at about 9am but sympathisers stopped a reinforced team of policemen from taking away the body until about  noon when soldiers forcefully broke the barricade and took away the body.

    Sources said the shooting of teargas angered the mob and they went after the policemen.

    Attempts by the rioters to storm the Esigie Police barrack was rebuffed and two young men were said to have been shot.

    The commercial drivers stormed other motor-parks  in the axis and forced their colleagues to join in the protest.

    Police Commissioner Babatunde Kokumo said the police had commenced investigation into the incident.

    Kokumo stated that nobody has been able to state what actually happened.

    He said: “We are investigating the allegation. We want eye witness to give a proper account. Nobody has come out to say it was the police that pushed the man. The allegation was made against the police and we will investigate. Investigation is ongoing it is unfortunate that it happened. Nobody has said he saw the policeman pushed the driver.”

    On the killing of two rioters, the commissioner said he would also carry out detailed investigation because where the accident happened is a far place to where the two rioters were reportedly shot.

    Kokumo said he would not tolerate the use of lethal weapons against unharmed civilians.

  • Breaking: Riot in Benin over death of driver over N100

    Breaking: Riot in Benin over death of driver over N100

    Riots broke out in parts of Benin City, Edo State on Tuesday following the death of a commercial bus driver identified as Sunny who was allegedly pushed to his death by a policeman.

    The riots by the commercial bus drivers left many pedestrians stranded especially those going to Oregbeni market at Ikpoba-Hill from various parts of the city.

    Five police Hilux vans and a truck belonging to the Edo State Government for its task force activities were set ablaze in different areas by the rioters.

    The mobile court sitting at the Third Junction was disrupted by the rioters and everybody arrested for various offenses were set free before the vehicle they were kept was burnt.

    Three other persons including a policeman were said to have been killed in the fracas that ensued.

    Some policemen at the check point where the incident happened managed to escaped but witnessed said a policeman was lynched.

    Transportation fares soared by over 200 percent from Third junction to Ikpoba-Hill or New Benin area and from Ring road to Ikpoba-Hill axis.

    The deceased driver was said to have fixed his wedding for next week Saturday.

    His fiancée who was in the bus with him when the incident happened along the Muritala Mohammed Way in Benin City was said to have gone into shock after narrating what happened.

    An eye witness said she told sympathizers that the police demanded for money and the deceased offered N100 but the policemen insisted that it must be N200.

    She reportedly said it was during an argument that the police pushed her fiancé into a moving truck which crushed his head and splattered his brains.

    It was gathered that the incident happened at about 9am but sympathizers refused a reinforced team of policemen take away the body until about 12 noon when soldiers forcefully broke the barricade and took away the body.

    Sources said the shooting of teargas angered the mob and they went after the police.

    Attempts by the rioters to storm the Esigie Police barrack was rebuffed and two young men among the were said to have been shot.

    The commercial drivers had to storm other motor-parks  within the axis and forced them to join in the protest.

    When contacted for comments, State Police Commissioner, Babatunde Kokumo, said the police has commenced investigation into the incident.

    Kokumo stated that nobody has been able to state what actually happened except from hearsay evidence.

    He said all eyewitnesses statements that have been obtained did not state categorically that they were present when the deceased was pushed by the policemen,

    His words, “We are investigating the allegation. We want eye witness to give a proper account. Nobody has come out to say it was the police that pushed the man. The allegation was made against the police and we will investigate.”

    “Investigation is ongoing it is unfortunate that it happened. Nobody has said he saw the policeman pushed the driver.”

    On the killing of two rioters, the commissioner said he would also carry out detailed investigation because where the accident happened is a far place to where the two rioters were reportedly shot.

    Kokumo said he would not tolerate the use of lethal weapon against unharmed civilians.

  • India grateful to Nigeria, Benin for help in recovering missing ship

    India grateful to Nigeria, Benin for help in recovering missing ship

    India has thanked the governments of Nigeria and Benin for their help and support in locating a ship that went missing off West Africa coast with 22 Indians on board.

    India’s External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said the tanker had been released.

    Swaraj, who, on Monday, sought the assistance of the Nigerian Government in recovering the ship, shared the news of the release on her Twitter handle, @SushmaSwaraj.

    Read also: Indian envoy: MOOCs help youths skill up

    “I am happy to inform that Merchant Ship Marine Express with 22 Indian nationals on board has been released,” she tweeted.

    In a later tweet, the minister further thanked the governments of Nigeria and Benin for their help and support.

    The minister had earlier that she spoke with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who “promised all help and assistance in locating the missing ship”.

    She added that a helpline was also set up.

    The external affairs ministry had on February 3 announced that the vessel Marine Express (oil tanker), owned by Mumbai-based Anglo Eastern shipping company with 22 Indians on board was “presumably missing off the coast of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea”.

    The ministry’s spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar, tweeted that the Indian mission in the Abuja was in contact with authorities in Nigeria and Benin and both countries had coordinated efforts to locate the missing vessel.

    NAN

  • Benin monarch vows to deal with native laws’ violators

    The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has vowed to deal with violators of native laws and customs in Benin City and its environs.

    A statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Desmond Agbama, said the monarch was determined to re-install native laws, rid the state of violence and guarantee peace.

    He said the warning was sequel to the submission of a report by the Benin Customary Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the traditional ruler set up the committee on October 13 to handle and resolve communal matters, such as inheritance, land matters, family issues, among others.

    The committee Chairman, Justice Samson Uwaifo (retd), told the monarch respondents were not honouring the committee’s invitation.

    He said it was a development that had hampered dispensation of justice.

    The oba, receiving the report, said the palace would work out measures to deal with those who refused to honour the invitation.

    He hailed the performance  of Justice Uwaifo-led committee, urging members not to be deterred by challenges.

    The ruler assured the committee of his support.