The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo State

  • Edo to curtail menace of herdsmen

    Edo to curtail menace of herdsmen

    Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Sunday said his administration was working out measures to curtail the menace of Fulani herdsmen in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, a week ago, some cattle gained access to classrooms at Ohovbe Primary School at Ikpoba-Okha Local Council of the state.

    The pupils were said to have stayed outside for about one hour before the herdsman came to take the cattle out.

    Obaseki made the disclosure on the sidelines of a thanksgiving service at the Christ Embassy Church in Benin for his victory at the appeal Court.

    He promised that the state government would build fence around schools in the state to address the indiscriminate grazing of cattle in Schools’ premises.

    Obaseki ascribed his election as Governor of Edo to the Grace of God upon his life, adding that he would capitalise on that to develop the state.

    In his sermon, the Rev. Tom Amekhena commended the governor for his developmental leadership, stating that although he had never met him, he has heard of his good policies and projects in the state.

    He said, “we are seeing the burning desire you have not only to develop the state but also to transform it.”

  • Edo polls: PDP, Ize-Iyamu head for Supreme Court

    Edo polls: PDP, Ize-Iyamu head for Supreme Court

    The People’s Democratic Party in Edo State and its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu have expressed their desire to head for the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal ruling.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu told newsmen after the Court of Appeal ruling that certain issues raised at the tribunal were yet to be addressed.

    He said, “Until one is actually able to lay hands on the judgement and read,that is when one can make a fair comment. All we know is that our appeal and the cross appeal were dismissed. But the reasons are not known.

    “By the time we lay hands on it, we will meet with our lawyers and our party leaders and take a decision. There were fundamental issues we raised against the tribunal judgement.

    “There are things it said that we believe cannot stand the test of time. We are not bound to depend only on corrupt practices to prove our point. Non-compliance is a ground in the Electoral Act and we depended on it.”

    State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, said nothing would stop the party from appealing against the appellate court ruling.

    His words, “I was in court and we were waiting anxiously to hear their verdict. But what we got was a very brief statement saying that they have dismissed the appeal. They did not give the reasons for their judgement.

    “But on the strength of our case to the Appeal Court, I believe that there is nothing that will stop us from going to the Supreme Court‎ to see that justice is done on this case.”

     

  • Igbonla kidnap: Police arrest three suspects in Edo

    Igbonla kidnap: Police arrest three suspects in Edo

    Three suspected members of the gang that kidnapped six pupils of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, have been arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), The Nation learnt Wednesday.

    This is just as parents of the kidnapped pupils said they were yet to hear from the kidnappers, adding that the number militants used to contact them was no longer going through.

    Egelu Endurance, 25, alias Jubby, Stanley Yomi Irabomini (Powei) 25, and Bentel Endurance, 24, all from Ovia South LGA, were arrested Tuesday evening in Benin City, Edo State.

    It was gathered that IRT operatives led by Abba Kyari, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) arrested the three suspects who left the creek and went to Edo State to visit a gang member who was injured during gun battle with security forces.

    According to the police, the suspects confessed to have participated in several high profile kidnappings in the southern region.

    It was gathered that they conformed the location of the students to the police.

    A source said: “They confessed to have participated in various kidnappings of prominent personalities in Lagos and Ogun State including the Oniba of Iba, Turkish School, Isheri landlords and Epe School children.

    “The suspects claimed they came to Benin to see their injured colleague and also relax for a while before going back to the creek.”Serious efforts to arrest remaining gang members and rescue the school children in progress.”

     

  • Senators raise alarm over herdsmen rampage in Edo

    Senators raise alarm over herdsmen rampage in Edo

    …Two women killed, four women raped

     

    The Senators representing Edo Central and Edo North Senatorial Districts, Clifford Ordia and Francis Alimikhena, Wednesday raised the alarm over the rampaging activities of herdsmen in Edo State.

    While Ordia told the Senate that suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked two villages in Edo Central where they raped and strangulated two women to death, Alimikhena informed his colleagues that the ravaging herdsmen raped four women in his constituency.

    Ordia said that the women were killed in community called Ewu, Edo Central on May 22, 2017.

    The lawmaker in a motion entitled “Need to curtail the activities of Fulani Herdsmen in Edo State,” lamented that the Federal Government appeared to have left the people to their fate.

    Senator Ordia said: “These ravaging herdsmen entered into a farmland located in Ewu Community, Esan Central Local Government of Edo State raping two women, Mrs. Martina Emoyon and Mrs. Ariu and strangled them to death, destroyed crops and sacked a lot of persons from their various farmlands.

    “Consequent upon these criminal activities of the Fulani herdsmen, the youths of Ewu engaged in a peaceful protest to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the problem.

    “Sadly one Ehimen Donald Abuya was shot and the victim is presently lying critically ill at Irrua Specialist Hospital.

    “Since this destructive attack, it has been observed that no farmer in the communities have engaged in farming activities for fear of being killed.

    “I am concerned about the heinous and criminal activities being perpetrated by Fulani Herdsmen who in the violent act of ravaging communities, depriving persons of right to life and prosperity, raping, defiling women and destroying farms crops amongst other criminal activities across the country.

    “Despite the public outcry and previous resolutions of the National Assembly as regards the criminal activities of herdsmen, there seems to be no visible action on the part of government to curtail, abate or totally stop the criminal activities of these criminal elements among Fulani Herdsmen.”

    The lawmaker who quoted section 33(1) of chapter (iv) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Senator Ordia said “every person has a right to life and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in the execution of a court sentence in respect of criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.

    “The Africa Chapter on Human and Peoples Right of which Nigeria is a signatory also provides for Right to Life and Respect for Integrity of Persons, Freedom from Slavery, Torture, Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading treatment

    “Section 43 of the constitution provides that every citizen shall have a right to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria.

    “The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) in section 14(b) clearly provides that the Security and Welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”

    He warned that the situation might get worse if drastic action was not taken to curtail the activities of Fulani herdsmen.

    He said, “We cannot continue to live like this in the country. The herdsmen did not only rape the women but went ahead to strangulate them. The Federal Government, should as a matter of urgency, step in and curb the criminal activities of these herdsmen.

    Senator Alimikhena on his own said that the four women were raped in a community in his Senatorial District.

    The Edo North lawmaker lamented that the herdsmen have taken over highways and farmlands in the area making vehicular movement difficult.

    He appealed to the Senate to intervene and stop the carnage in his area.

    The Senate asked security agencies “to halt, apprehend and bring to justice the criminal elements posing as herdsmen who derive pleasure in destroying lives and properties across Nigeria.”

    An ad-hoc committee already set up by the Senate and chaired by Senator Kabiru Gaya, to investigate activities of Fulani herdsmen in the country was mandated to include recent attacks in Edo State.

     

  • Tension in Edo community over rape, killing of two women

    Tension in Edo community over rape, killing of two women

    There is tension in Ewu community, Esan Central local government area over last week killing of two elderly women by suspected herdsmen.

     

    The women were also found to have been raped before they were killed.

     

    Their bodies were found in their various farms by a search party when they did not return home.

     

    Names of the deceased were given as Christiana Ikheloa and Fatima Emoyon.

     

    Daughter of one of the deceased who gave her name as Patience Emoyon said cows were seen in the place where her mother’s corpse was found.

     

    She said her mother was found stone dead.

     

    Son of Christiana, Robert, said the person that picked his mother’s cell phone spoke Hausa language.

     

    He urged the state government to fish out the killers and rapists.

     

    Police spokesman, DSP Moses Nkombe, confirmed the incident but said he was not aware if any person has been arrested.

  • School feeding programme: Edo set to collaborate with private firm

    School feeding programme: Edo set to collaborate with private firm

    The Edo State Government has revealed that it may collaborate with Dufi Prima Food Plc, a private firm, to domesticate and implement the Federal Government’s Home Grown School Feeding Programme.

     Governor Godwin Obaseki, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Taiwo Akerele, made this known in Benin City on Friday as he received the management team of Dufi Prima Food Plc at the Edo State Government House where the food company indicated its interest to collaborate with the state government on the Home Grown School Feeding Programme. 

     Commending the initiative of the company, the governor revealed that the state government would draw out a plan in line with the state’s procurement law on engaging service providers to bid for the Home Grown School Feeding Programme. 

     He said: “We are going to come up with a proposal. We have the state procurement law and we will open up the procurement process for invitation to everybody who is into this line and see that the best in terms of production and output is chosen”.

     Meanwhile, Dufi Prima Food consultant, Efosa Cliff-Ogiugo, congratulated the state government on the successful launch of school feeding programme held in Benin City revealing that the company’s visit was to officially introduce its products and develop a partnership on the use of its products for the programme.

     The consultant noted that the company was already into partnership with the federal government on the programme and wanted to engage as many states as possible, adding that the company also intend to introduce programmes to upgrade school infrastructure.

     He, however, maintained that the company would extend the gesture to disabled children and ensure that the value of the N10m proposed for the feeding programme would span nine months.

     

  • PDP chieftain reveals plot to sack Obaseki through Supreme Court

    PDP chieftain reveals plot to sack Obaseki through Supreme Court

    A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party in Edo State, Mr. James Ifaluyi-Ogbeide, has revealed plans by the party leadership to sack Governor Godwin Obaseki through the Supreme Court.

    Mr. Ifaluyi-Ogbeide said the plot to use a Supreme Court justice was hatched at a meeting of PDP leaders held in Port-Harcourt.

    Speaking at a press briefing in Benin City, the PDP chieftain said he decided to raise the alarm to stop desperate plans by the party leadership to manipulate the electoral victory of Governor Obaseki at the Supreme Court.

    Ogbeide said the leadership of PDP have set-aside huge sum of money to procure victory at the apex court.

    He alleged that the Supreme Court justice from the South-South zone has offered to assist the party to upturn the electoral victory of Obaseki just as was done in the case of Rivers and Awka-Ibom states.

    According to him, “The discovery of most unholy scheme by the People’s Democratic Party to pervert the course of justice and condemn the people of Edo as many years of ungodly wretchedness and black misrule as possible

    “It has come to my knowledge that a terrible séance held recently in Port Harcourt consisting nefarious characters loyal to the People’s Democratic Party. The fiendish meeting, which was assembled by top PDP members and had in attendance stakeholders in Edo state governorship was conveyed to analyse how to sabotage the mandate of the people of the state.”

     

  • Two soldiers arrested for sacking mobile Court in Edo

    Two soldiers arrested for sacking mobile Court in Edo

    Two soldiers have been arrested in Edo State for disrupting the sitting of a mobile court at the Oba Ovoranmen Square.

     

    The mobile court was set up to prosecute traders caught selling on the walk ways and in the streets around the Oba Ovoranmen Square.

     

    It was learnt that five soldiers stormed the mobile court after a retired failed to secure the release of his wife who was arrested and about to be arraigned before the mobile court.

     

    Sources said policemen attached to the mobile court resisted the soldiers and there was exchange of gunfire.

     

    The source said the soldiers overpowered the policemen and scattered the mobile court.

     

    All the seats and canopies were over turned while arrested suspects were set free.

     

    Acting Managing Director of Edo State Waste Management Board, Prince Aiyamenkhue Akonofua, said several persons were injured in the melee.

     

    Prince Akonofua said the presiding Magistrate, Ihenyen Aigbediofe, was whisked away to safety.

     

    Akonofua stated that two out of the five soldiers were arrested and that the state Police Commissioner, Haliru Gwandu, has assured them that the law would take its course.

     

    Edo Police spokesman, DSP Moses Nkombe, confirmed the arrest of the soldiers adding that the state Criminal Investigation Department has taken over the investigation.

     

    “It is true. The soldiers went to the mobile court to free some suspects. Our policemen resisted them.”

  • Customs destroys seized poultry products worth N14m in Edo

    Customs destroys seized poultry products worth N14m in Edo

    The Nigerian Customs Service on Sunday in Benin destroyed seized imported poultry products worth N14 million.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the poultry products were packed in 2, 750 cartons and were conveyed by a Dangote truck with registration number XC 449 GML when it was apprehended.

    NAN also reports that the consignment was intercepted by the Comptroller General of Customs compliance team lead by the Officer in Charge of zone ‘C’, Assistant Comptroller Musa Oseni on Friday.

    Supervising the destruction, the National Coordinator of the Comptroller General’s compliance team, Comptroller of Customs Ahmed Azarema said that the exercise was in line with the Federal Government directive on banned importation of poultry products.

    Azarema said that the directive must be enforced and urged all to educate the members of the public to do legal businesses and not contraband.

    The National Coordinator also inspected three seized trucks containing 640 bags of foreign rice, 1,147 cartons of unauthorised and unverified drugs and three automobiles and automobile spare parts.

    He disclosed that the trucks were seized on May 17th, 5th and 3rd, adding that the items would be auctioned according to law within the shortest time.

  •  Edo drivers commend new tax system

     Edo drivers commend new tax system

    Members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Edo state have commended the state government for its introduction of a new taxation policy to collect levies from commercial drivers.

    They said the government policy has not only sanitized the system but has also saved them from harassments they hitherto faced from those previously saddled with the responsibility of collecting the taxes.

    A taxi driver at the Ikpoba Hill motor park, Mr. Courage Omeben, who commended the peaceful manner adopted by the government tax collectors in the collection of the levies, also advised commercial drivers in the state to cooperate with the government by paying their taxes willingly and promptly.

    He said, “The establishment of government tax force to collect taxes from commercial drivers in Edo state is a welcome development for us. Prior to the inauguration of the force, we usually faced different kinds of harassment from area boys who used to collect the money from us. Before, if those people ask you for money and you don’t give them, they would fight you and even break your side mirror.

    “The approach now being used by the government tax force is very good. Even if you don’t want to pay the way and manner they would use to approach you would make you to pay. As you pay, they give you receipts. I want to appeal to other commercial drivers in the state to cooperate with the task force for prompt and easy collection of the levies”.

    Another commercial bus driver, Edos Oyaruwa noted that the introduction of government task force for the collection of taxes from commercial drivers in the state has stopped extortion of the drivers.

    He lamented that many drivers used to pay exorbitant and multiple fees for taxes.

    “Before we used to pay between 1500 to 1600 to tax collectors at different locations. But now, the highest we pay daily is 200. Once we pay that, nobody will ask us for money again till the following day, “he said.

    Meanwhile, a commercial driver, Osaghe Pedro who also commended the tax system has urged the state government to build motor-parks for commercial drivers in the state. He lamented that very few commercial bus operators have motor parks in the state.

    He noted that the essence of paying taxes is for the government to provide some infrastructures such as motor parks for commercial drivers.

    Commenting on the level of compliance by the drivers, a member of the task force at Oredo local government Area, Etinosa Uyinmwen said although some of the drivers do comply with the government tax collectors, but majority of them try to escape the payment by giving one excuse or the other.

    It would be recalled that on January 1st, 2017, Governor Godwin Obaseki outlawed the use of private revenue collectors in the state.

    He introduced the cash less system and ensured that only staff of local government councils are used to collect the taxes.

    Obaseki recently acknowledged that the revenue base of the state has risen with the new system as N500,000 was being realised from nine points in Oredo local government whereas only N45,000 was remitted from the nine points.