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Tag: Edo

  • Suspected herdsmen kill five in Edo

    Suspected herdsmen have reportedly killed a student of the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma in Edo state identified as Collins Ojierakhi.

    Collins was allegedly killed on Friday night by herdsmen at Ugboha village in Esan South East Local government.

    The deceased was said to be returning home from Uromi alongside his friends when they were attacked.

    All three of them were killed.

    Late Collins was said to have just gained admission into the university.

    Father of the deceased, Mr Festus Ojierakhi, who narrated the incident said,  “I am just confused. I was actually in the house eating at about 8pm and I started asking about my son who was not there. I was told he went to Uromi with his friends on a motorcycle.

    “It was around 9pm that the mother of my son´s friend started shouting, crying that herdsmen have killed her son. I rushed out of the house and I asked about my own son. I was told he died too with his friend.

    “We immediately detailed boys and ran to the place. When we got there we were told that the police has come to take the corpse to Ubiaja mortuary. I was told my son and two others including the friend died. They said the other person that died is an Igbo person.

    “The information we heard was that as my son was driving home with his Okada, the herdsmen and their cattle blocked the road and they waited for them to leave the road. Immediately they passed, some of their people in the bush opened fire on my son and his friends and they died at the spot.

    “I have been to the Area Commander office and they said they are investigating the matter. I don´t know what to do. This is a young boy that just entered university¨ he lamented.

    At Odighi and Odiguete community in Ovia North East local government, herdsmen were said to have invaded the community on Saturday and killed two persons.

    Other persons who were wounded in the attack were taken to the Benin Central hospital for treatment.

    Edo Police Commissioner, Johnson Kokumo, could not be reached for comments as  calls made to the CP were unanswered.

  • Three injure in Obaseki”convoy accident

    Three persons were on Wednesday evening injured in an accident involving the convoy of Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    The accident happened along the Benin-Lagos express road in front of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

    It was gathered that the accident occurred over break failure of the bus carrying the press crew of Governor Obaseki.

    Three vehicles including the bus conveying journalists were badly damaged.

    A source at the scene said the bus had to ram into the cars before it could be stopped.

    Government House sources said some journalists injured in the accident have been taken to the hospital for treatment.

    Reacting to the incident, Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, confirmed the accident but said no lives were lost.
    According to Crusoe, “A bus assigned to the Press Unit of the Edo State Government House was involved in an accident on its way from an official assignment, today, Wednesday, March 14, 2018.

    “A number of people in the bus and three other vehicles that were involved in the accident, including a medical doctor and a mother and child, sustained varied degrees of injuries, and are currently receiving treatments at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

    “An official of the state government has been sent to the hospital to ascertain the degree of injuries sustained by the victims and we are also in touch with the doctors managing the victims, who are in stable condition.

    “We have undertaken to pay the medical bills of all the victims. No life was lost.”

    Meanwhile, policemen attached to Edo Government House used tear gas to chase students of the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi who were protesting continued closure of the institution.

    Governor Obaseki had last year closed the institution to remodel it to meet modern challenges.

    The students had blocked the entrance gate preventing vehicles from going or leaving the government house.

    SUG President of the institution, Comrade Imakpo Kenneth, said the protest was to make the governor listen to their plight

    He said, “Governor Obaseki came to Obaseki and promised us that within three months, he will revamp our school. It was a mistake for us to believe him.

    “He said he will place students on industrial training and pay some stipend at the end of the month but nobody was sent on industrial attachment.

    “They came up with biometrics saying if we do not do, we will have problems with payment. We have protested twice and written several letters but they did not listen to him.

    “We came here today to tell them to either kill us or do something about our school and send us on IT.

    “All they could do was to give orders for security to shoot at us. They fired tear gas at us and I cannot even find many of my students. I wonder why they will shoot tear gas in government house. We voted them into office. It is a failure on the part of government to shoot at us.”

  • Be prudent with funds, Obaseki tells LG chairmen

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Wednesday urged local government chairmen in the state to be prudent and avoid incurring unnecessary debt.

    The governor spoke during the opening ceremony of a three-day programme organised for newly elected local government chairmen and councilors in Benin.

    He said that the state had the resources to support councils to perform optimally and effectively.

    “We have state agencies that can address most of your needs without charges; we have abundant resources to help you.

    “We know most of you do not have resources internally to plan, but I want to assure you that we have most of the resources you require and we will extend them to you without any cost.

    “I will advise you not to waste your scares resources on expensive or dubious consultancy or training contracts,” the governor said.

    Obaseki said that the local government councils would not be allowed to employ people indiscriminately.

    “You are not allowed to employ people indiscriminately; most of you are over-staffed; use the existing staff you have.

    “It is only when it is clear they are are insufficient that you begin to hire new people.

    “Most of you are owing salary arrears. So, I don’t know what justification you have to hire new people when you cannot pay the ones you already have,” he said.

    The governor said that all  chairmen and councilors must reside in their councils and should come up with strategic plans on how to better the lives of the masses.

    He said that the government would go after anyone found to have stolen council funds, where it had clear evidence.

    “We want you to be transparent, as indiscipline will not be tolerated,’’ he said.

    Obaseki urged the chairmen to take revenue generation, security and job creation as priority.

    Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, said the local government is the closest level of governance to the people where many of them can contribute.

    He called for more cooperation between the three tiers of government.

    NAN

  • Auchi Poly to make examinations at ND 1, HND 1 computer-based

    The management of the Federal Polytechnic Auchi, Edo, says it is concluding arrangements to make examinations for the National Diploma 1 ( ND1 ) and Higher National Diploma 1 ( HND1 ) students computer-based.

    .The Rector of the institution, Dr Sanusi Jimah, made the disclosure at a news conference in Auchi on Wednesday.

    Jimah said that the introduction of the computer-based examination in the two levels was aimed at curbing examination malpractices and developing the students’ e-learning abilities.

    “The polytechnic is putting finishing touches for the take-off of Computer-Based Examination ( CBE ) for all ND 1 and HND 1 students this session.

    “As part of the transformation agenda in the polytechnic, the management has ensured that students can now access their examination results online.

    “In addition, allocation of hostel accommodation has been liberalised. Hostel allocation is now done online.

    Read Also: Auchi Polytechnic expels 18, rusticates 62

    “This has been done to remove sharp practices. Students are free to apply online for allocation once they pay the administrative charges and register for their programmes,” he said.

    The rector said that departments and units in the institution had been upgraded with the provision of e-learning multi-media equipment.

    Jimah, however, warned the staff of the institution against extorting money from the students, saying anyone caught in the act would be sanctioned appropriately.

    “The management of the polytechnic is coming hard on any staff who extorts money from students or request amorous gratifications from them to enhance their grade.

    “To demonstrate our resolve in this direction, no fewer than five members of staff are currently facing disciplinary action over extortion,” he said.

    NAN

  • Edo communities protest herdsmen attacks

    Edo communities protest herdsmen attacks

    Residents of Odighi and Odiguetue communities in Ovia North East yesterday protested to the palace of Oba Ewuare II of Benin, following incessant attacks by Fulani herdsmen.

    They also said men of the Edo State Police Command have been raiding and arresting members of both communities over the alleged killing of three Fulani herdsmen.

    A protester, Madam Martha Odion, sister of former Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Louis Odion, said they fled into the bush on Wednesday night when policemen stormed the communities.

    Madam Odion said doors and windows to their family home were shattered by the police and that they were yet to return home.

    She said: “I am 70 years old. We can no longer go to the farm. Any time we go to the farm, we always run back home. We ran away when the police came to arrest people int the village. Our doors and windows were broken.”

    The protesters said the Fulani herdsmen warned them not to enter the bush for any farming activities this year.

    Placards carried by the protesters read, “Fulani herdsmen have made us orphans”, herdsmen have ?driven us from our communities”, no farm for Odiguetue people”, “Obaseki must come to our aid and herdsmen must go”.

    Their spokesmen, Mr. Osaro Ademoyo, said their protest was to let the world know about their suffering in the hands of herdsmen and the police.

    “We came here in respect of what is happening in our community by Fulani herdsmen. We in Odighi and Odiguete communities, which are neighbours; they have raped our wives and killed our farmers; taken over our land and their cattle eat our crops.”

    Also speaking, another protester, Mr, Omozusi Peter, said: “We want the government to hear us now as this is very hot because there is a cloud changing now.

    “They are killing our people but if you kill one of their cows, the whole world will hear. The people they are killing from us the whole world is not hearing. Are we not one Nigeria? Are we not serving the same country?

    “The governor of this state said we need agriculture. This is agriculture we are talking about now. if you want to load plantain in my community, you will load eight trucks a day but today we don’t have any plantain again. They destroy pineapple, cocoyam; they will root off your cassava and give the tubers to their cattle. What they are saying is that they will not feed their cattle with elephant grass, that plantain is better than elephant grass.”

    Louis Odion said he was shocked that the police raided his community and alleged that a conspiracy was unfolding.

    He said: “I spoke with the commissioner of Police to protest the humiliation meted to our people who heeded an advice by the DPO at Ekiadolor to go to the Police Command in a Benin City to formally lodge a complaint against the invasion of the community by Fulani herders firing AK 47 rifles resulting in some fatalities.

    “I am simply unable to understand why people should now be afraid in their ancestral land because cows must graze. Guess what, those who went to the police command spent the whole day at the CID more or less detained and were asked to sign an undertaking to be of good behavior. Can you beat that? The victim/complainant becoming the accused/defendant at the police command.

    “I protested this to the Commissioner of Police. He sounded nice and officious. I perfectly understand he has a job to do. He said they had information that four Fulani herders were killed.”

    The Police CP could not be reached for comments

  • Edo assembly considers bill to prohibit human trafficking

    Edo assembly considers bill to prohibit human trafficking

    Edo House of Assembly on Tuesday began consideration of a bill for a law to prohibit human trafficking and establish the Edo State Task Force against trafficking in persons.

    The majority leader, Roland Asoro, the member representing   Orhionmwon South constituency, moved the motion for the house to dissolve into a committee to consider the bill.

    The Chief Whip of the house, Iyoha Osaigbovo, member representing Oredo East constituency, seconded the motion.

    The committee consequently considered sections one to seven of the bill.

    Read Also: Human trafficking: NAPTIP hands over 17 victims to relatives

    According to the house, appointment of members of the task force shall be by the governor and subject to the ratification of the house of assembly.

    The Speaker, Kabiru Adjoto, directed the majority leader to schedule further consideration of the bill for the next sitting day.

    Our reporters, reports that Gov. Godwin Obaseki had in January sent the bill in person to the house for consideration.

    NAN

     

  • Edo to improve IGR collection

    Edo to improve IGR collection

    Edo State Government has said it will continue to take steps that would boost its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    Its Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, said the Godwin Obaseki led-administration remains committed to implementing economic policies that will create wealth for Edo people and self-sustenance through aggressive IGR drive. Shaibu spoke during an interview with journalists in Benin City, Edo State capital.

    The deputy governor said, “The Godwin Obaseki led-administration prioritises economic policies that will spur growth, wealth creation and prosperity for Edo people. These policies are targeted at reducing the rate of poverty and unemployment. The long-term economic plan of the state governor is to create wealth and prosperity for Edo people.”

    He said the state’s economic model is targeted at driving economic growth and sustainability, noting, “with our policies, we intend to achieve self-sustainability for the state where proceeds from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) will be used to drive economic growth and prosperity for Edo people without depending on the allocation from the Federation Account to drive social growth and development.”

    Shaibu maintained that: “When we have fully achieved this, proceeds from the Federation Account will be considered an addition, just like grants from donor agencies.” “When we have fully achieved this, proceeds from the Federation Account will be considered an addition, just like grants from donor agencies.”

  • APC wins Edo council polls

    APC wins Edo council polls

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has been announced winner of the council polls conducted last Saturday in the 18 local government areas.

    Results declared by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission showed that the APC defeated nine political parties.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)boycotted the election and instituted legal action challenging the processes leading to the conduct of the election.

    The election was generally peaceful and witnessed huge turnout of voters in some areas.

    Announcing the results, Chairman of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. Stanley Orobator, said the Certificate of Return would be presented to winners on Monday.

    Prof. Orobator commended the conduct of the polls.

    Chieftain of the APC in Esan North East, Prince Joe Okojie, described the election as a death knell of the PDP in the state.

    Prince Okojie said the PDP willingly opted out of the polls because it did not want to exposed itself to its national officers that the party is depleted.

    Some of the elected council chairmen are, Mrs. Eghe Ogbemudia (Egor) Destiny Enabulele(Ovia South West) Patrick Aguinede (Esan West) Musa Yakubu (Estako West) Esan Central (Waziri Idemudia) Joseph Odia (Igueben) Frank Ilaboya (Owan West) Emuakhagbon Victor (Esan South East) Jelkins Osunde (Oredo) Dr. Eric Osayande (Ikpoba-Okha) Ogbemudia Osaze (Ovia North East) Andrew Osigwe (Owan East) and Sylvester Okoro(Orhiomwon)

  • APC wins Edo Council polls

    APC wins Edo Council polls

    The All Progressive Congress ( APC ) has won the local council polls conducted last Saturday across the 18 local government areas.

    Results declared by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission showed that the APC defeated nine other political parties that participated in the election with a wide margin.

    Main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party boycotted the election and instituted legal action challenging the processes leading to the conduct of the election.

    The election was generally peaceful across the state and witnessed huge turnout of voters in areas monitored by our reporter.

    Announcing the results, Chairman of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. Stanley Orobator, said the Certificate of Return would be presented to the winners on Monday.

    Professor Orobator refused to disclose how much was spent to conduct the polls as he directed journalists to check the state annual budget.

    Orobator commended conduct of the polls.

    Chieftain of the APC in Esan North East, Prince Joe Okojie, described the outcome of the election as a death knell of the PDP in the state.

    Prince Okojie said the PDP willingly opted out of the polls because it did not want to expose itself to its national officers that the party is depleted.

    Some of the elected council chairman are, Mrs. Eghe Ogbemudia (Egor) Destiny Enabulele(Ovia South West) Patrick Aguinede (Esan West) Musa Yakubu (Estako West) Esan Central (Waziri Idemudia) Joseph Odia (Igueben) Frank Ilaboya (Owan West) Emuakhagbon Victor (Esan South East) Jelkins Osunde (Oredo) Dr. Eric Osayande (Ikpoba-Okha) Ogbemudia Osaze (Ovia North East) Andrew Osigwe (Owan East) and Sylvester Okoro(Orhiomwon)

  • Obaseki lauds FG on welfare package for IDPs in Edo

    Obaseki lauds FG on welfare package for IDPs in Edo

    …as NCFRMI distributes materials in Uhogua camp

     

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has lauded the Federal Government’s role in assisting with welfare packages for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across Edo State.

    Obaseki gave the commendation when the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) donated educational materials and food items to the IDPs in Uhogua Camp in Ovia North East Local Government Area, Edo State.

    The relief materials include branded bags; food flask and water bottles; notebooks; cartons of biros and pencils; mathematical sets; bags of rice and beans; vegetable oil, among others.

    The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Yakubu Gowon, said, “The role of NCFRMI in resettling refugees, migrants and IDPs across the country is commendable. The commission has remained committed in catering for social welfare for these categories of persons.

    “Edo State government appreciates the efforts of the commission in consolidating the state’s campaign in receiving, resettling and reintegrating victims of human trafficking and illegal migration through its active involvement in organising the return of these persons to Nigeria.”

    Commenting on the donation of educational materials and food items to the camp, he said “The state government expects the exercise to be sustained even as we anticipate that circumstances that led to the displacement of persons living in this camp will be resolved as soon as possible, so that they can return to their normal lives.”

    Obaseki noted, “We promise to commit resources so that those living in the camp have fond memories as our guests, even after they return to their homes.

    Federal Commissioner for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, represented by her Special Adviser on Media, Hajiya Halima Musa, said, “The commission whose responsibility is to ensure solutions are provided for refugees, IDPs across the country already had intervention in 28 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where humanitarian crisis are identified.”

    She said the commission provides both short and long-term plans to help the people regain themselves, “In this area, we have provided in the short-run maintenance materials to alleviate the suffering of people of concern while in the long run, we plan to provide durable solution to alleviate their plight.”

    She said the commission is in Edo State to flag-off the distribution of the relief materials to make life better for the IDPs, adding that the commission’s gesture was the result of reports from desk officers’ assessment of condition of children at the camp.

    Responding to the gesture, one of the displaced persons, Grace James, thanked NCFRMI, Edo State government and other non-governmental organisations for their continuous support to the camp, urging them not to relent as God will continue to bless them and their families.