The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo State

  • Kidnapped Edo Magistrate, others regain freedom

    A senior magistrate in Edo State identified as Hassana who was abducted last week Tuesday has regained her freedom.

    Hassana was freed alongside three others including two medical doctors who were abducted the same day she was taken.

    The medical doctors were said to be inside a commercial bus when they were randomly picked out by the kidnappers.

    She and others were abducted along the Benin-Auchi road after the kidnappers shot her police orderly simply identified as Marcus.

    It was gathered that kidnappers freed their victims near Egba village along the Adumagba-Akure express road.

    Sources said family of the victims paid ransom for their release.

    The source said the victims were asked to trek along a particular route inside the forest by kidnappers until they got to the road from where they took bike to Egba junction along the Benin-Auchi road.

    It was further learnt that the Magistrate was received by her family members at about 4pm on Saturday and was in good condition.

    A relative of the Magistrate said the kidnappers made their victims trekked through the forest and only rest for few hours before they released their victims.

    The relative said a farmer that ran into the kidnappers and their victims in the bush was tied to a tree.

    Police spokesman, DSP Abiodun Osifo, could not be reached for comments.

     

  • 35 arrested, 2 guns recovered in Delta

    Thirty-five suspects have recently been arrested through an operation involving security agencies, including the army, air force and the police in Delta state.

    The Commander, 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army Benin, Edo State, Brigadier General Faroque Yahaya, Commander, 61 NAF, Delta, Air Commodore Sani Zakari and the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Alkali Baba Usman, jointly addressed the press over the development at the 3 Battalion Barracks, Effunrun, Delta state Friday.

    Speaking at the briefing / parade of suspects as well as arms and ammunition recovered during the operations, Brig Gen Yahaya said the operations would continue until the state, which had been notorious for the proliferation of illegal arms and gangster activities, had been purged of the dangerous trend.

    Friday’s operation, which yielded the arrests and arms recovery, was carried out in Ekpan and Effunrun communities in Uvwie council area of the state’s.

    “In the early hours of this morning. A joint operation codenamed “operation Yankari” was conducted by the military comprising elements from the Nigerian army, Nigerian navy, Nigerian airforce, police and elements from state security service. It was a successful operation to check the spread of small arms in our means. Ammunitions were recovered and suspects were arrested.

    “I just want to reiterate that the security in Delta State is determined to rid our communities of illicit arms that are being used to terrorise law abiding citizens in the state. Those arrested will be investigated. The operation would be continuous as we continue to gather information. We advise those trafficking illicit arms to peacefully surround them otherwise we will get them,” he said.

    Giving details of the operation, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Alkali Baba Usman said “It’s an operation carried out because of the incessant complaints of crimes and criminality around the area we have conducted the operation.

    “A total of 35 suspects have been arrested. A preliminary screening has taken place. We have been able to identify three and they have been released. The remaining 32 suspects will be taken for further investigation for various offences.

    “We have also recovered during the exercise a G3 Riffle loaded with 20 rounds ammunitions and a pistol. We also recovered other incriminating items including ballot papers, but we are yet determined whether they are fake,” he said.

    He, however, clarified that the operation was not targeted at individual but criminals while dismissing claims that people’s homes were invaded during the operation that lasted for several hours.

  • Police nabs notorious car snatchers in Edo 

    Police nabs notorious car snatchers in Edo 

    Five persons suspected to be notorious car snatchers within Benin City and environs have been arrested by men of the Edo State Police Command.

    The suspects, Alao Samson, Christopher Obanugo, Okwuchukwu Ntagu, Dickson Ogiemwonyi and a spray painter, Godwin Atanu were arrested on March 8, after they snatched five cars from different individuals.

    Police said a Lexus RX 300 was sold by the gang for N120, 000 and a new Lexus jeep for N500, 000.

    Two of the recently stolen cars, a Ford Focus and Toyota Matrix were sprayed to another colour.

    Samson, w‎ho hails from Osun State said he usually disguised as a mechanic and whenever he was called to fix a vehicle, he would made away with the cars after the owner submitted their car keys.

    Ogiemwonyi, a graduate of Political Science from the University of Benin, who bought the Lexus Jeep said he suspected that it was a stolen car which made him to take it to a spray painter to change the colour.

    Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Osifo Abiodun, who paraded the suspects, described the arrest as a major breakthrough owing to the incessant reports of car snatching in the state capital.

    “These are suspects who specialise in car snatching within Benin and neighbouring communities. On February 18, 2016, a Nissan car was snatched by three armed men at gunpoint from the owner. And since, we have been on the trail of these armed robbers. It paid off three days ago on a tip off that a vehicle was being vandalised at a hideout, at a specific location.

    “In his (Atanu’s) workshop one of the stolen vehicles was recovered. His personal vehicle was also recovered. We are investigating it to know how he came about even his personal vehicle.‎”

    On the claim of innocence by the spray painter and his wife, Abiodun said, “Suspects will always give flimsy excuses. They will always have one or two stories to tell. He has been a spray painter over the years and highly experienced. But before you spray a vehicle, you ask genuine questions about the particulars of the vehicles. The vehicles themselves were not dented. So, how come he is spraying them and changing their colours?”

  • Fuel hits N180 in Edo

    Price of Premium Motor Spirit also known as fuel has risen to N180 per litre at some filling stations owned by Independent Marketers in Benin City

    At the black market, fuel sold for N200 per litre and above.

    Fuel was sold at some NNPC mega filling station and some major marketers that were supplied fuel from Benin Depot of the NNPC sold fuel at the approved pump price.

    Fuel chart released at the Benin depot showed that about 800,000 liters of fuel were supplied to filling stations across the state.

    A manager at one of the fuel station where fuel was sold for N160 said they got the product at a price of N120 per litre.

    Prices of transport fares have however soared within Benin City and environs.

    Ring Road to Oluku that used to cost N70 now cost N100.

  • Abductors of Edo Magistrate yet to demand ransom

    Kidnappers of a senior magistrate in Edo State simply identified as Hassana are yet to demand ransom payment.

    Hassana and two others were abducted on Tuesday along the Benin-Auchi express road while she was going to her station at Ehor, headquarters of Uhunmwode local government.

    Her police orderly whose name was given as Marcus was shot and is still receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

    Family sources of the Magistrate confirmed to reporters that the kidnappers were yet to contact the family.

    Meanwhile, police has intensified efforts to secure the release of the Magistrate.

  • Kidnappers abduct Magistrate, two others in Edo

    Kidnappers operating along Benin-Auchi express road have abducted a serving Senior Magistrate simply identified as Hassana.
    The police orderly of Hassana whose name was given as Marcus was shot and is currently receiving treatment.
    Family sources said Hassana was going to Ehor, headquarters of Uhunmwode Local Government when she and two others were abducted.
    The source said the kidnappers randomly picked motorists along the road and whisked them away.
    It was learnt that after Hassana orderly was shot, he driver managed to drive the vehicle into an earth road which led to a village where he thought they would be safe.
    But the kidnappers struck again and took the Magistrate away.
    As at press time, no contact has been made to her family. 
    A police source the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has already directed the Commissioner of Police in the state, Chris Ezike to ensure the immediate release of the abducted persons and arrest of the abductors.
    Spokesman for the police, DSP Abiodun Osifo, confirmed the abduction and said policemen were already combing the bush with a view to releasing the victims.
  • Kidnappers abduct Magistrate, two others in Edo

    Kidnappers abduct Magistrate, two others in Edo

    Kidnappers operating along Benin-Auchi express road on Wednesday abducted a serving Senior Magistrate simply identified as Hassana.

    The police orderly of Hassana whose name was given as Marcus was shot and currently receiving treatment.

    Family sources said Hassana was going to Ehor, headquarters of Uhunmwode Local Government when she and two others were abducted.

    The source said the kidnappers randomly picked motorists along the road and whisked them away.

    It was learnt that after Hassana orderly was shot, he driver managed to drive the vehicle into an earth road which led to a village where he thought they would be safe.

    But the kidnappers struck again and took the Magistrate away.

    As at press time, no contact has been made to her family.

    A police source the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has already directed the Commissioner of Police in the state, Chris Ezike to ensure the immediate release of the abducted persons and arrest of the abductors.

    Spokesman for the police, DSP Abiodun Osifo, confirmed the abduction and said policemen were already combing the bush with a view to releasing the victims.

  • Traffic Violation: Courts convict 500 persons in Edo

    Traffic Violation: Courts convict 500 persons in Edo

    Over 500 persons were arraigned and convicted for various traffic offences during the joint road check exercise also known as Operation Velvet carried out by the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) in conjunction with other security agencies such as the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRCS), Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

    This was made known by the Executive Director, Tax Compliance, EIRS, Prince Felix Isuku during an interview with newsmen in his office Wednesday.
    He said that over 500 persons were arraigned before the mobile traffic courts set up in ten locations across the state for the exercise and were likewise convicted for various traffic offences ranging from cases of fake drivers licence, expired motorcycle and vehicle particulars, over loading, expired and non-possession of fire extinguishers, tinted and covered number plates.

    He noted that the road check exercise exposed some vehicle owners for possession of expired vehicle particulars spanning over three to five years. In addition, he said that most drivers were in possession of fake drivers licence a situation he described as worrisome but was assured that the road check exercise was meant to control it.
    The tax compliance director said the exercise is a continuous one which will come in phases but that the regular checks by other traffic and security agencies will continue.

    Describing the exercise as successful, Isuku remarked that most motorists complied with the exercise by visiting the one-stop-shop for vehicle registration and designated driver licence data capturing centres across the state to revalidate their vehicle particulars and also to obtain the genuine drivers licence.

    Isuku informed that currently, there exists four drivers licence data capturing/registration centres in Edo State- Auchi, Ekpoma, while two others are in the Benin City metropolis with two more expected within the year.

    He advised motorists to visit any of the designated places for drivers licence registration which is not done neither by proxy nor the use of passport photographs and cost no more than six thousand three hundred and fifty naira.

    Expressing her view of the exercise, an applicant Susan Osaghae who acquired the temporary drivers licence said the exercise is a right step in the right direction and that she followed the application processes all by herself and paid the official fee of N6, 350. She equally advised those still in possession of the fake drivers licence to do the right thing by visiting the approved centres for genuine data capturing.

    The executive director, tax compliance, affirmed that presentation of tax clearance certificate (TCC) as a condition for the registration of motor vehicle is still in force as it is enshrined in Section 85 (4) (b) of the Personal Income Tax Act (2004) as amended.

  • ‘No apology for demolished buildings housing UNIBEN staff’

    ‘No apology for demolished buildings housing UNIBEN staff’

    Edo State government has said that it has no apology for the demolition of some buildings from which some staff of the University of Benin were forcefully evicted.

    It said it acted based on judgment from the court of law.

    The response of the state government followed press statement issued by the Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities that the “the governor has taken his lawlessness and disrespect of the laws of the land.”

    Zonal Chairman of ASUU, Anthony Monye-Emina, who briefed journalists Tuesday urged the state government to respect the laws of the land and pay the sum of over two hundred million naira compensation  to the affected UNIBEN staff.

    Anthony said the action of Governor Oshiomhole was an affront on orderliness and good conduct in the state.

    He urged Governor Oshiomole to live up to his promise to compensate those whose properties were affected rather than embarking on demolition spree.

    Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbua described the language of ASUU as conclusion not only derived from sheer sentiments, unreason, poor scholarship but also a product of intellectual inertia.

    According to him, “It is very unfortunate that members of ASUU who ordinarily should be knowledgeable and schooled about the dynamics of government can descend to the level of using gutter language to describe a popularly elected Governor of Edo state.”

    “What is lawless about our action? Waiting for judgment to be given on their stay of execution thus far or what? Where is the lawlessness? As far as law is concerned till date following the respective judgments, those buildings remain the property of Edo State Government.”

     

  • Man jailed for stealing slippers, belts

    Man jailed for stealing slippers, belts

    A 23-year old man identified as Maxwell Oronsaye has been jailed by an Oredo Magistrate Court for stealing slippers and belts worth N52,000.

    The convict was accused of breaking and entering into a shop belonging to one Luma Amaka.

    Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Thomas Ojo, informed the Court that the convict committed the offence on February 22, at  Ugbor quarters in Benin City.

    Maxwell pleaded guilty to the two-count charge filed against him.

    The offence contravened section 413, 390 of the Criminal code Cap 48 Vol. II laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976 as applicable to Edo.

    Presiding Magistrate, Mrs J.O. Ejale, convicted Maxwell to two years imprisonment with hard labour without an option of fine.