The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo State

  • Diezani N700m: EFCC detains Edo PDP chair

    Diezani N700m: EFCC detains Edo PDP chair

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has continued its search for N700m given to Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party  out of the Diezani $115m bribe money.

    It has detained State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, and extended invitation to 18 local government officials of the party.

    Other persons earlier invited in connection to the N700m bribe money were a former Deputy Governor, Lucky Imasuen, Tony Aziegbemin and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

    Imasuen had told newsmen that the he was only invited to a branch of Fidelity Bank to witness collection of the money and that the money was taken to the House of a PDP leader where the money was shared.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu also explained that he did not touch a kobo out of the money and that he gave the EFCC list of those that signed as the money was being shared.

    Sources said Pastor Ize-Iyamu has been invited again but close aides to Pastor Ize-Iyamu said he traveled to Lagos.

    It was gathered that the EFCC has asked those indicted to refund the money.

  • Gunmen abduct nurse in Edo

    Gunmen abduct nurse in Edo

    A 44-year-old woman, identified as Mrs. Rita Aiwelera, a nurse at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, has been abducted by unknown gunmen.

    Rita was snatched on Sunday at about 7:45 pm in the presence of her children at Ugbowo in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.

    Eyewitnesses said she was forced into a Toyota Highlander car.

    Husband of the victim, Dan, said it was his daughter that informed him about the abduction shortly after he dropped them.

    According to him, “She came to my office to meet with me with the kids on Sunday. We all went out and, eventually, I dropped them at her office (and) they joined her car because she came with her own car; they were going home.

    “About 45 minutes later, I finished what I was doing and decided to go home. When I got to UNIBEN gate, my daughter called saying, ‘Mummy has been kidnapped.’ I was surprised.

    “So, I rushed down to the scene, about five minutes from where I was, and saw my children crying that they took their mother away.”

    “The kidnappers called Monday and asked for a ransom of N10 million. They called again at about 7am Tuesday‎, asking if I have got the money.

    “They said they only give me today (Tuesday). But I told them that I will not be able to raise N10 million. After much talking, I offered to borrow and give them N500, 000 but they hung up.

    “I reported to Ekiadolor police station and from there, it was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.”

    Edo Police Public Relations Officer, Osifo Abiodun, confirmed the kidnapping and said investigation has commenced into the matter.

  • Edo workers shun NLC officials, resumes work

    Workers in Edo State public service Thursday shun leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and resumed work at their duty post.

    Some faction Labour leaders in the state led by Emmanuel Ademokun only walked through two major street in protest.

    At various offices visited, workers were seen at work.

    Pupils at public schools were sent away for the second day, an indication that teachers defied the state government order to resume work.

    Edo State Head of Service, Mrs. Idahor Gladys, had in a press statement said the government would invoke the no work no pay rule for any worker that joined the strike action.

    She said the strike action was illegal.

    Ademokun insisted that the strike continues even though workers were at work and appealed for artisans to join in the protest.

  • Edo: Protesters chase out workers from offices

    Protesters against fuel price increase Wednesday chased out Edo State government workers who resumed for duties.

    The protesters comprising of factional members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and members of the civil society organization.

    At the civil service secretariat, workers were already seated inside their offices when they asked to leave.

    Gates to the entrance of the State Ministry of Information and Orientation, Ministry of Justice and other parastatals were placed under lock and key.

    Staffers of the various ministries did not join in the protest march.

    They waited outside their offices for several hours and later left for home.

    Teachers in privately owned primary and secondary schools shunned the strike and protest march as the schools were opened for academic activities.

    Pupils of public primary and secondary schools were sent home by their teachers.

    Doctors and nurses were seen at their duty post at the state government owned hospitals and the courts were also in sessions.

    Federal government workers resumed for duty at the secretariat at Aduwawa in Ikpoba-Okha local government.

    All the offices were open for businesses.

    The protesters also chased away stated government workers who went for verification exercise.

    They pulled down the canopies and forced staff of the Information and Communication Technology unit to stop work.

    As at press time, the protesters were still marching along major streets of Benin City.

     

  • EFCC detains Edo PDP aspirant over 700Million fraud

    A Governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Edo state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was on  Tuesday detained   by the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC)in Port Harcourt over allegations of financial impropriety.

    Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was alleged to have   bribed Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials during the 2015 general elections.

    Source at the EFCC office in Port Harcourt confirmed to Nation that the aspirant was granted administrative bail Wednesday around 2:30pm and he is to appear on a later date already communicated to him.

    “He thought he could secure his bail on Tuesday night but you know the investigation here is always thorough and detailed and we have to keep him till Wednesday.”

    He was questioned over allegation of N700 million allegedly disbursed to Edo state for the 2015 general elections.

    When contacted on phone yesterday, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu said he was on his way to Benin City but said he was invited as the coordinator for former President Goodluck Jonathan over the said funds and that he has explained to the anti-graft agency what he knows about the money and promised to give more details when he arrives the state capital.

    It would be recalled that some officials of INEC were recently investigated for allegedly compromising during the 2015 election by some powerful politicians in the then ruling party to manipulate the election in the favour of the PDP.

    Meanwhile this scenario came on the heels Ize-iyamu few days ago alleging that Governor Adams Oshiomhole has frittered over N1 trillion from the Federation Account since he came to power in 2008.

    He had also expressed worry over the high taxes on Edo people by Oshiomhole’s led All Progressive Congress (APC) administration.

    He spoke at a town hall meeting organised by House2House ‎Campaign in support of Ize-Iyamu.

    He commended the state government for improving the state economy through rapid internally generated revenue drive was commendable, but alleged that companies, shop and other viable business outfit and economically viable institutions have closed down and have left the state as a result of constant harassment by persons he alleged as touts operating as officials and agents government. For instance he said the tax policies have forced vehicle owners in the state to prefer to go to Delta State and other neigbouring states to register their vehicles.

     

  • Man with hunchback abducted, murdered by suspected ritualists

    Man with hunchback abducted, murdered by suspected ritualists

    Suspected ritualists have abducted and killed a 37-year old man with a hunchback in Edo State.

    The victim simply identified as Usokpowu alias Tokyo was a musician and professional Master of Ceremony.

    Family sources said the hunchback man was abducted by gunmen at his residence at Okhokhugbo community in Egor Local Government.

    He was found dead three days later where his corpse was deposited at a primary school.

    Vital organs such as liver, private parts and the hunch were found to have been removed.

    When contacted for comments, State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, said the matter as a case of missing person.

    Ezike said investigation has commenced into the case and that he has directed the Criminal Investigation Department to take over the case.

  • Pandemonium as 16 members impeach Edo speaker

    Pandemonium as 16 members impeach Edo speaker

    * Elects female speaker

    There was pandemonium at the Edo State House of Assembly Tuesday when thugs numbering about three hundred invaded the hallowed chamber shooting sporadically and in the process six persons were seriously wounded.

    Trouble started when Hon. Folly Ogedegbe the majority leader moved the motion for impeachment of the speaker, Hon. Victor Edoror and the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Bright Osayande.

    The motion which was seconded by Hon. Gani Audu representing Etsako West 1 reads in parts, “We the underlisted and undersigned Honourable Members representing the various constituencies in the Edo State House of Assembly have on this day 3rd of May 2016 have resolved to impeach our speaker, Hon. Chief Victor Edoror Tiger and the Deputy Speaker Hon. Osayande for acts of gross misconduct.

    Speaker ex-tempo Hon. Patrick Iluobe was appointed to preside the business of the day where the new speaker, Hon. Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie representing Uhuwode was appointed and Dr. Joseph Okonoboh
    representing Igueben was appointed as Deputy Speaker.

    Immediately the new speaker was sworn in, the impeached speaker and his deputy walked into the chamber in company of the thugs shooting sporadically to scare people out of the chambers, in the process a lot of peoples sustained various gun short.

    Addressing journalists immediately after the fracas, the new speaker Hon. Mrs. Ativie said the members can no longer tolerate the greedy nature of the speaker.

    She said the impeached speaker has up to six different financial cases with the EFCC and the members cannot continue to allow such indecent person to lead the House.

    She therefore said that five member committee headed by Kabiru Adjoto representing Akoko-Edo 1 will investigate the financial recklessness of the impeached speaker from June 2015 till May 3rd.

    She said if found wanting at the end of the three months when the committee will submit their report he will be handed over to the appropriate authority.

    Also speaking, Hon. Adjoto Kabiru said the impeached speaker is violently corrupt who have flair for eating government money just the way the red mouth squirrel has mouth for palm kernel as it is eating one, it is looking at another one that is how Edoror is.

    “As it is today, Edoror has a lot of EFCC case hanging on his neck, you media men can go and verify this we cannot afford to have a speaker that is been investigated by the EFCC because of his corrupt nature. As earlier mentioned by our new speaker, Edoror has a corrupt tendency that cannot be mentioned by one, enough is enough, that is why sixteen members of the house today signed impeachment notice against him. As we speak today, both APC and PDP members in the House signed impeachment notice against him”.

    Sixteen members signed the impeachment notice that circulated to journalists immediately after the house proceedings.

  • Minimum wage: Edo wage increase is Greek gift – PDP

    Minimum wage: Edo wage increase is Greek gift – PDP

    Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the increment of the minimum wage in the state as a Greek gift and something that was coming late.

    It said Governor Adams Oshiomhole took politics too far when it announced a minimum wage increase for government workers from N18, 000 to N25, 000.

    The party noted that Governor Oshiomhole’s action was hasty and a betrayal of trust as it was done at a time the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was negotiating a N56, 000 minimum wage for civil servants.

    State chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, who stated this in a press statement issued in Benin City said the real challenge in the state civil service was about recruiting people into the service and not about deceiving the people with unrealistic wage increase.

    Orbih stated that political appointees of the governor were on the increase while civil servants have continually dwindled owing to death of workers and retirement of existing workers without replacing them.

    According to him, “This is a Greek gift to Edo workers considering the fact that the governor has continually neglected workers’ welfare and treated them with disdain before now. Who does not know the motive behind this fake gesture that is coming at a time every state in the federation is facing economic recession?

    “As at the time of the windfall, he (Oshiomhole) didn’t pay workers for many months. Right now, local government workers are being owed over six months’ salary. Retirees’ pensions and entitlements are also not being paid under Oshiomhole’s watch.”

    “We are beginning to see Oshiomhole as a slave driver going by his policy on workers’ welfare. Here is a governor who has never recruited workers into the civil service since he became governor, but is now talking about salary increase in the twilight of his administration.”

    “We challenge the governor to pay outstanding salary arrears, pensions and other entitlements of workers rather than talk about a N25, 000 minimum wage. We challenge him to free the local governments from the bondage he has put them.”

  • Why I forgave Oshiomhole – Anenih

    Why I forgave Oshiomhole – Anenih

    Former Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, said he has forgiven Governor Adams Oshiomhole because his immediate health challenges made him to see the need to rise above politics and embrace peace with all men.

    Chief Anenih noted that his medical experience made him to decide to forgive all those who offended him.

    Anenih spoke for the first time publicly since the last general elections at the 10th Anniversary of St Anthony’s Catholic Church, where Governor Oshiomhole and other prominent members were given award for services to the Church.

    The former Minister of Works who referred to Oshiomhole as his son said, “I want to say this, it is not because Adams is here. Last night, I was telling my wife that I met Adams in the church, and with my immediate medical experience, I have decided to forgive all those who offended me. And I specifically mentioned Adams.

    “Adams, without you saying it, I have forgiven you. As you said when you were in labour, as President, you were my son and you know it. You came into politics and you remain my son. So, the common cook that used to cook ogbono soup for us is still there.”

    Governor Oshiomhole urged the church to reward those who pay widows mite to build the church rather than wealthy individuals.

    Oshiomhole praised the Catholic Church for bringing people of different political persuasions together under one roof for the Church programme.

    “For me, the church has caused all of us to reunite in the State. So, I reunite with my daddy Chief Tony Anenih and several other PDP leaders and APC leaders. And the Catholic Church brought together the national Chairman of APC sitting side-by-side with the national leader of PDP.

    “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ continue to moderate our actions and remind us of our oneness, of our commonality and of our shared commitment to work together to uplift our state and our great nation.”

  • Man arrested for robbing prostitute

    Man arrested for robbing prostitute

    A 27-year old man, Efe Monday, has been arrested by men of the Edo State Police Command for allegedly robbing a prostitute he wanted to have fun with.

    Efe was nabbed at Ofunmwegbe town in Ovia North-East local government area after the prostitute raised an alarm.

    Police said Efe approached the lady for sex and after the entered her room, he brought out a gun and robbed her of cash and money.

    It said a locally made pistol was recovered from the suspect.

    The suspect who spoke during a parade said he was walking along the road when he was arrested.

    He claimed that he has not met the sex worker before

    Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Mr. Chris Ezike, said the suspect would be charged to court upon completion of investigation.