The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo

  • One injured in PHCN workers’ clash in Edo

    One person was injured yesterday in a clash between members of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Staff and the National Union of Electricity Employees.

    Both are workers’ unions in the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

    The clash led to a blackout in some parts of Benin City, the Edo State capital and its environs as PHCN offices were locked.

    Customers, who visited the offices, were told that there was a strike.

    The clash between NUEE and SSAEAS occurred at the headquarters of the Benin Zone as members of SSAEAS insisted on resuming duty.

    Security was strengthened around the premises to prevent destruction of property as the office was locked by NUEE.

    Branch President of SSAEAS Chris Egunyanga said one of their members was injured while they prevented NUEE from locking the office.

    Egunyanga said they were not part of the issues NUEE has with the PHCN management.

    He said: “We don’t have any problem. Our sister union said it has issues with the management here. The members came here last Thursday, drove our members out of the office and told them not to come to work today.

    “On our part, we saw it as an affront and told them if they have issues, they can engage management but they should not involve our members. We are not part of the issue they have with the management. We want to work but they said we should not work.”

    NUEE’s General Secretary Joseph Ndem said the fracas ensued because SSAEAS stopped them from locking up the office.

    He accused the senior staff and management of holding secret meetings with the new investor without informing NUEE.

    PHCN’s Public Affairs Manager Babatunde Fadipe said the management would not interfere in the issue between both unions.

     

  • Army smashes police robbery gang

    Army smashes police robbery gang

    The 4th Brigade of the Nigeria Army has smashed a police robbery gang allegedly led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Okubopagha.

    It said ASP Okubopagha and Inspector Okoro were from the B Department, Nigeria Police Force, Bayelsa State Command.

    The Commander of the 4th Brigade, Pat Akem, who spoke through the unit Public Relation Officer, Capt. Roseline Managbe, said the smashing of the gang followed the arrest of one Nanagha Aduoumemi who claimed to be an Inspector in the A Department of the Bayelsa State Command.

    Capt. Managbe said Inspector Okubopagha was arrested by troops of the 222 Battalion at Orhoror junction along Bomadi road in Delta State after blocking the road with woods while other members of the gang hid in the bush.

    She said the Inspector was arrested while attempting to run into the bush while other members of the gang escaped into the creeks.

    “The suspect revealed that members of his gang are all serving police personnel who indulge in robbery activities after their normal police duties, “the spokesperson said.

  • Edo, NUT meeting in deadlock

    A stakeholders’ meeting between striking members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Government of Edo State convened by Civil Society Organisations yesterday ended in a stalemate.

    Primary schools have been closed since June 1 when the NUT ordered its members to embark on an indefinite strike, following partial implementation of the 27.5 per cent Teachers Special Allowance (TSA).

    The government has been paying 17 per cent to teachers and recently approved the full payment of 27.5 per cent to secondary school teachers for not participating in the strike.

    It invoked the no-work-no-pay rule on the striking teachers and said the teachers must return to classes before negotiations can begin.

    It was a rowdy session at the meeting held at Urhokpota Hall in Benin City as government officials and NUT representatives tried to explain their stand on the strike.

    Executive Director of African Network for Environment and Economic Justice David Ugolor said the meeting was convened to enable teachers know the real issues behind the strike.

    Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Lucky James and Commissioner for Basic Education Patrick Aguinede urged the teachers to call off the strike for negotiations to continue.

    James said the government would respond positively within two days, if the teachers suspend the strike.

    He said: “This is a simple matter. Nobody has said he will not pay. You were not told the truth. We have to look at the financial implications of what the payment will cost the local councils.

    “Some local councils cannot pay their statutory staff after paying teachers’ salaries. There are other issues that should bother us and not allowance.”

    Aguinede told the teachers that their leaders refused to show up for several meetings called for the negotiation.

    First Vice Chairman of NUT John Aiyobahan said the issues were not about negotiation but implementation.

    He said government shunned them on the scheduled day for meeting.

    Ugolor said the civil society groups would meet separately with the NUT and the government.

     

  • Gunmen abduct RCC officials, kill three soldiers

    Two officials of the Reynold Construction Company have been abducted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers at Aduwawa along the Benin-Auchi road.

    Three soldiers were reportedly killed by the kidnappers.

    Soldiers have been providing security for RCC officials after they stopped work at the Benin-Lagos express road over incessant kidnappings.

    Details of the attack are yet to be known.

    A top army official confirmed the killing but promised to provide details later.

    The Police Public Relation Officer, Edo State Command, Moses Eguavoen, said he was yet to get details of the kidnappings and killings.

     

  • Edo explains execution of criminals on death row

    Edo explains execution of criminals on death row

    Edo State has offered insights into why Governor Adams Oshiomhole signed the warrants of four criminals on death row.

    The warrants, the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Edo State, Barrister Henry Idahagbon, stated were signed because death sentence has not been expunged from the nation’s criminal code acts.

    He spoke yesterday when civil society organisations and students’ leaders led by the Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, Reverend David Ugolor, protested the killing of criminals on death row in the state.

    The commissioner called on civil society organisations to take their advocacy campaigns against the killing of convicts on death row to the National Assembly.

    It said the groups should lobby the national legislators for death sentence to be expunged from the nation’s criminal code acts.

    Idahagbon explained that any state governor is under a legal duty to sign execution warrants, stating that governors who fail to sign can be sued.

    According to him: “As we speak today in Edo State, there are three offences that carry death penalty.

    “The first is murder under section 319, the second is armed robbery and the third is treasonable felony.

    “When a person is charged with armed robbery or any of these three offences, the judge has no discretion. He must impose the sentence of death because that is the law!”

    He said the execution warrants were signed on the four convicts after they exhausted all their rights known to law up to the Supreme Court.

    Expatiating on their crimes, he said: “Daniel Nsofor entered a motor from Ekpan to Ehor and with two others and a lady called Maria Imariagbe.

    “At about 07:15, they disembarked from the vehicle at Ehor and then they got this Maria Imariagbe, they strangulated her, killed her and collected her money.

    “ChimaIjiofor was a spare parts dealer in Benin here. He has a relationship with a woman that led to the birth of a baby.

    “The baby was two and half months old. He came to visit the baby and the mother at their house.

    “He gave money to the mother to go and buy Coca Cola and before she came back, he poured acid into the mouth of the baby and the baby died.

    “What was his excuse? He said that as a first child from his state of origin, he is not expected to have a child out of wedlock.”

    He continued: “OsarenmwindaAigbokhian went into the bush and he said he saw a big deer.

    “He said he shot at the deer and the deer died. He went there and he started butchering the deer.

    “While butchering the deer, the deer turned to a human being. He didn’t stop. He cut the human being into small parts and buried them in several parts of the bush.

    “When autopsy was done, there was no mark of any bullet. So, there was no shooting. The person was killed with a very sharp object.

    “The one remaining, Richard Igagu, was not executed because the sentence of the court is that he should die by firing squad. He went with his gang to a house to rob.

    “After robbing the man of his possessions, they raped the wife. And after raping the wife, they took a bottle and inserted the bottle into the private part of the wife until she bled to death.”

  • Edo executions did not follow due process – Lawyers

    Edo executions did not follow due process – Lawyers

    Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASFF) otherwise known as lawyers without borders has condemned Monday’s execution of four death row inmates in Edo

    State.

    ASFF argued that the execution did not follow due process as the inmates were not allowed to fully exhaust all legal options available to them.

    According to a statement issued by the group, the executions were carried out despite the application for stay of execution by a human rights

    organisation.

    It stated that the executed inmates still had rights to appeal the decision of the Federal High Court.

    It said, “Recall that in October 2012, the execution warrants of the just executed inmates were signed but a legal suit was filed by the Legal

    Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) an NGO to stop the execution.

    Although the judgment delivered Monday in this case was not in favour of the inmates, an appeal was promptly filed against this decision.

    Unfortunately the appeal was not respected and the executions were carried out in total disregard of the processes filed before the court. ASF France

    has been rightly informed that the Attorney General of Edo State and the Nigerian prisons were duly served with the court processes comprising of

    the notice of appeal and motion for stay of execution.

    “The move by the federal government to resume execution of over 700 inmates on death row in Nigeria is contrary to commitments made by the

    Nigerian government at international level and is a huge dent on the human rights record of Nigeria. In November 2008, the African Commission

    on Human and Peoples’ Rights at its 44th Ordinary Session in Abuja, Nigeria, adopted a resolution calling on state parties to the African

    Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to observe a moratorium on the death penalty.”

    It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had on Fathers’ Day celebration on June 16 in Abuja directed governors to exercise their

    constitutional responsibility by the signing death warrants for condemned prisoners.

  • Four prisoners executed in Edo

    Four prisoners executed in Edo

    Four prisoners on death row were executed yesterday by officials of the Nigeria Prison Services in Edo State.

    One of those also to be executed is to die by firing squad.

    The four prisoners were killed after a Federal High Court rejected a lawsuit file by some Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) against signing of the execution warrants by Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

    Edo State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Henry Idahagbon confirmed the execution but said it was an affair of the Nigeria Prisons.

    He said a notice of appeal was brought to him but whether it was served on prisons officials were not his concern.

    The names of the executed prisoners could not be confirmed as at press time.

    Deputy Director for Africa at Amnesty International, Lucy Freeman, in a statement, called for the halting of the executions and described the court decision as a major setback for justice and human rights in Nigeria.

    “The Nigerian authorities must immediately halt the execution of these five men and allow them to appeal their cases in the courts.”

    According to Amnesty International’s Death Sentences and Executions 2012 report, Nigeria has not carried out any known executions since 2006, but sentenced 56 people to death last year. Approximately, 1000 people are reportedly on death row in the country.

     

  • Edo bans okada

    The Government of Edo State yesterday banned the use of commercial motorcycles, popularly called okada, in three local government areas.

    Also, the government has identified some houses used as kidnappers’ hideout and vowed to demolish the houses in the next few days.

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole said this yesterday after the State Security Council meeting in Benin City.

    He said the affected local governments are Ikpoba Okha, Oredo and Egor, which constitute the Benin Metropolis.

    He said it was now evident that Edo is gradually becoming a haven for all bike riders.

    “I am convinced that we cannot continue to allow this situation. It is a settled issue that investors will not be in a hurry to go to any state that the level of crime has risen beyond acceptable level.

    “We have resolved as a government, effective from next Monday, bike riders will not be allowed to operate in any part of Oredo, Ikpoba Okha and Egor local government areas.

    “These three local governments constitute the heart of Benin City. The law enforcement agencies have been informed accordingly and directed to strictly enforce this law,” he noted.

    The governor said the other 15 local government areas will not be affected by this law.

    “Should the situation deteriorate in those areas, we will meet and review the situation and take the next step.

     

  • Edo bans Okada, to demolish kidnappers den

    Edo State Government has  banned the use of commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada in three Local Government Areas of the state with effect from next Monday.

    Some houses used by kidnappers as hideout has also been identifies and would be  demolished  in the next few days.

    The State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who disclosed this on Tuesday shortly after the state Security Council meeting in Benin City, said the affected local Government Areas are Ikpoba Okha, Oredo and Egor which constitute the Benin Metropolis.

    He said it was now increasingly evident that Edo state is gradually becoming a safe haven for all manners of bike riders.

    Oshiomhole said, “In fact there are confirmed Okada riders who have been involved in kidnapping and other forms of violent crimes including robbery. We have tried as a government over the years to take steps to counsel Okada riders to observe certain codes, to watch out and ensure that criminals do not infiltrate their ranks and hide under commercial vehicles to perpetrate crime. It is clear to me now that we have not been particularly successful. More and more Okada riders have been found to be involved in various acts of violent crimes.

    “Also, because of the influx of bike riders, arising from the decision of some of our neighbouring states where bike riders have been prohibited, Edo State has become a safe haven for all manners of bike riders and because they do not get enough commercial patronage, some bike riders have to resort to crime in other to sustain a living while posing to be bike riders,” he noted.

    Oshiomhole declared, “I am convinced that we cannot continue to allow this situation to continue. While I am very concerned about the fact of the level of unemployment in the country, and in Edo state we have our own fair share of unemployment, I am convinced that the long term interest of job creation requires that you attract investors and investment to the state. It is a settled issue that investors will not be in a hurry to go to any state that the level of crime has risen beyond acceptable level.

    “Therefore,  everything considered, we have resolved as a government,  effective from Monday next week, bike riders will not be allowed to operate in any part of Oredo, Ikpoba Okha and Egor Local Government Areas. These three local governments constitute the heart of Benin City. The law enforcement agencies have been informed accordingly and directed to strictly enforce this law,” he noted.

    The governor stated that for now the other fifteen local government areas in the state will not be affected by this law, adding that “should situation deteriorate in those areas, we will meet as a government and review the situation and take the necessary next step.

    Comrade Oshiomhole said that more than eighty percent of accident victims in the hospital are bike riders, noting that “we cannot continue like this. I therefore reached the painful conclusion that it is time to do something and we cannot postpone it further.”

    “I am not in doubt that there are many Okada riders who are not criminals and they have no criminal intentions. I am also convinced that there are many Okada riders who are into legitimate business, unfortunately there isn’t any mechanism for us to distinguish criminals who are also bike operators and decent citizens who are doing their very best to cope with the rigours of life, this is just one sacrifice we all have to make to make our state safer,” he added.

    The Governor therefore appealed to the Okada riders to appreciate the government’s efforts and advised them to abide by the law strictly because a violation will be severely dealt with.

    The Governor disclosed that the security meeting also resolved that all residents in the state, whether they are landlords or tenants should ensure that those they employ as private security guards or maids in their homes have been properly scrutinized and certified that they have the right to reside in Nigeria.

    “That is to say that it is the responsibility of every landlord or tenants to ensure that those they employ or hire as gatemen or security have got proper security scrutiny. The security chiefs have been directed to conduct random checks on security guards in various areas to establish their legal status whether they are Nigerians and if they are not Nigerians whether they have the right to reside in the state, and or have the right to engage in employment,” the governor added.

    While reiterating government’s resolve to demolish buildings used by kidnappers, Comrade Oshiomhole said some of such buildings have been identified and action will be taken on then in soon. He however announced that government will appropriately reward anybody who is able to provide useful information to any arm of the security agencies on criminal elements in the society.

     

  • Edo doctors vow to fight imposters

    DOCTORS in Edo State have vowed to fight quacks and imposters among their rank with a view to redeeming the image of the medical profession.

    The doctors under the ageis of Association of Physicians, General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) said they want to restore public confidence in their profession.

    Edo State chairman of AGPMPN, Dr Otamere Aigbogun, stated this at a parley shortly after his inauguration as the chairman of the association.

    Aigbogun said they would collaborate with the state government to deliver quality and affordable healthcare services in the state.

    He noted that they would work to remove the notion of seeing private medical practitioners as shylocks who are out to milk the public of their money, adding that governments had a big role to play in ridding the profession of quacks.