The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo

  • Edo govt to support bill on physically challenged persons

    Edo Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu has expressed the commitment of the government to the programmes and policies that could improve the lives of the physically challenged persons.

    Shaibu gave this assurance on Wednesday in Benin while speaking at a training programme for stakeholders on “Lobby and Advocacy”, for the passage of the Disability Bill in Edo.

    He said the State Government was ready to collaborate with the stakeholders in order to check discrimination and stigmatisation against the physically challenged.

    Shaibu said the government would quickly sign the disability bill once the state House of Assembly passed it.

    The Edo Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons Leaving with Disabilities, Mr Henry Ebose, called on the House to ensure the speedy passage of the bill, which had been before it.

    According to him, the advocacy is to ensure that the disability bill becomes a law in Edo.

  • Suspected herdsmen rape, behead woman in Edo

    A woman identified as Margaret Udiamehi has been raped and beheaded by suspected herdsmen at Ekpoma, Esan West local government area.

    The body of the victim was found on Tuesday night by a search party after she failed to return home from the farm while the police discovered her severed head on Wednesday morning at a different location.

    Angered by the brutal killing, women in the locality took to the streets of Ekpoma to demand expulsion of all herdsmen from the village and environs

    The protesters went to the palace of Onojie of Ekpoma and the Divisional Police headquarters to vent their anger.

    They said a woman earlier escaped from the herdsman who pursuit her but they took her cutlass.

    Speaking on behalf of the protesters, one of the women, who gave her name as Grace, said they were tired of watching strangers destroyed their crops, rape and kill women in the village.

    She called for government protection to allow them go to the farm.

    Daughter of the deceased, who did not give her name, said her mother left for farm in the morning and did not return home which made a search party to the organised to look for her.

    She said they searched through the night before her naked body was discovered at about 2am and her head chopped off.

    Divisional Police Officer in Ekpoma, SP Franklin Akanonu, who confirmed the killing assured the protesters that the killers would be apprehended.

    He urged the protesters to provide information that would help apprehend those behind the killing.

    Sources told our reporter that policemen were deployed to the Ujuelen camp of Fulani herdsmen to protect them from any possible reprisal attacks.

  • How to develop Edo North, by Senator

    How to develop Edo North, by Senator

    Senate Deputy Chief Whip Francis Alimikhena has identified the absence of infrastructure for industrial activities as the bane of economic development in Edo North District.

    Alimikhena, who was speaking at the Igarra Public Field in Akoko-Edo, described Akoko-Edo as a land that is full of untapped natural resources. He promised to attract development.

    The senator said: “Edo North is strategically located with networking of road to facilitate movement of goods and people to the North, South East as well as the South -South geo political Zone. We have no justification whatsoever not to benefit from the commercial nature of our district. He explained that his infrastructural development efforts targeted at attracting investors to the area who will take advantage of the industrial sub- structure for the establishment of industry, will soon yield the needed result.”

    Alimikhena promised to make Edo North investors’ delight by ensuring necessary development initiative for the private sector to take over its economy. He added: “It is not the duty of government to be in business but to create enabling environment for investors to invest.

    “Edo North has energetic working population with a vast arable land crisscrossed by rivers, stream and investment in power transmission and distribution facilities for the smooth and efficient take off of industries. We have fertile land for agricultural product and produced. As we complete the ongoing infrastructural development which will Constitute the basis for industrial sub structure for business activities, we will give attention to youth training and skill acquisition centre to enable us produced the human resources that will be required by industry.”

    While thanking Governor Godwin Obaseki for his developmental initiative, he said the governor has not lost focus. He added: He is consistent and we have faith in his ability to Industrialized the entire State. As law makers, we will give him all the necessary support and encouragement to fast track his developmental initiative. Senator Alimikhena who also appealed to the people of Edo North to be patient with the APC Government, expressed confidence that the  2017 budget will Sink the ongoing recession and reposition the nation in record time. Nigeria was brutally destroyed by the opposition party for more than sixteen years and we cannot expect an overnight transformation from the Buhari’s administration. “But i can boldly assured Nigerians that the faithful implementation of this 2017 budget will sink all our hardship, struggle and recession”.

    Recounting his achievement in the last two years in the Senate, he outlined Bills that he has sponsored, co-sponsored and his motions. He also outlined key projects, which he has attracted to Edo North in the 2016 budget, with the assurance that the 2017 budget which will soon be ready for implementation is pregnant with more infrastructural projects all across Edo North.

    He appealed to beneficiaries to effectively deploy the items given to them, adding that those who are yet to benefit will have their turn in the future.

  • Edo to support bill on physically challenged persons

    Edo to support bill on physically challenged persons

    The Edo Deputy Governor, Mr Philip Shaibu, has expressed the commitment of the State  Government to the programmes and policies that could improve the lives of the physically challenged persons.

    Shaibu gave this assurance on Wednesday in Benin while speaking at a training programme for stakeholders on “Lobby and Advocacy”, for the passage of the Disability Bill in Edo.

    He said the State Government was ready to collaborate with the stakeholders in order to check discrimination and stigmatisation against the physically challenged.

    Shaibu said the government would quickly sign the disability bill once the state House of Assembly passed it.

    The Edo Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons Leaving with Disabilities, Mr Henry Ebose, called on the House to ensure the speedy passage of the bill, which had been before it.

    According to him, the advocacy is to ensure that the disability bill becomes a law in Edo.

  • Edo to support bill on physically challenged persons

    Edo to support bill on physically challenged persons

    The Edo Deputy Governor, Mr. Philip Shaibu, has expressed the commitment of the State Government to the programmes and policies that could improve the lives of the physically challenged persons.

    Shaibu gave this assurance on Wednesday in Benin while speaking at a training programme for stakeholders on “Lobby and Advocacy”, for the passage of the Disability Bill in Edo.

    He said the State Government was ready to collaborate with the stakeholders in order to check discrimination and stigmatisation against the physically challenged.

    Shaibu said the government would quickly sign the disability bill once the state House of Assembly passed it.

    The Edo Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons Leaving with Disabilities, Mr. Henry Ebose, called on the House to ensure the speedy passage of the bill, which had been before it.

    According to him, the advocacy is to ensure that the disability bill becomes a law in Edo.

  • Ex-soldier wants 30-year-old marriage dissolved over adultery

    Ex-soldier wants 30-year-old marriage dissolved over adultery

    A 72-year-old retired soldier, Samuel Adebamigbe, on Wednesday pleaded with an Agege Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve his 30-year-old marriage over his wife’s adulterous life.

    Samuel, who resides at No. 88, Ajayi Road, Modupe Bus Stop, Oke-Ira, Ogba, told the court that his wife, Iyabo, was having extra-marital affairs with several men.

    He also said his wife was not submissive and could no longer live with her.

    The petitioner, an indigene of Ondo State, said: “My wife is not trustworthy and she is also wayward.

    “She lied to me that she was from Ondo State but l later realised she is an indigene of Edo.

    “My family was against our union from the beginning because of her promiscuity, but because l love her, l decided to marry her.

    “There was a time l found a letter addressed to her lover stating where to meet each other.”

    Samuel also claimed that his wife was having an affair with a prophet, but she denied, claiming she was always with the “man of God” for intercessory prayers.

    “The trouble is too much; l can no longer bear her arrogant and promiscuous lifestyle.

    “Whenever he had sexual intercourse, she keeps complaining of stomach upset.

    “I became worried and asked her to go for a medical checkup and she told me that the doctor said she should have sex just once a week.

    “I was told that due to my wife’s adulterous life, a charm was placed on her which is causing her stomach upset,” he said.

    The husband said he decided to marry a third wife in Ondo State because he needed to have sex more frequently.

    He declared: “I am asking for a divorce because this marriage that is blessed with three children has already broken down.”

    Responding, 50-year-old Iyabo, a businesswoman, denied all the allegations, saying she is not ready for the dissolution of the marriage.

    “He embarrasses me publicly, calling me an adulterous woman and he beats me with wire at the slightest opportunity.

    “My husband does not respect me as a wife; he claims that l am an illiterate and that he has married an educated woman.”

    The court’s President, Mr. Philip Williams, appealed to both parties to reconcile in the interest of their children.

    “The court does not encourage divorce; we are here to make peace where possible, the woman should be submissive if she still wants to keep the marriage,” he said.

    Williams, who later invited the couple into his chamber for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), adjourned the case until July 27.

  • FRSC to enforce emotional, mental evaluation of traffic offenders

    FRSC to enforce emotional, mental evaluation of traffic offenders

    Mr. Kehinde Adeleye, the Zonal Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) RS5, Benin, says the organisation will enforce emotional and mental evaluation of traffic offenders.

    Adeleye made the assertion during his second quarter inspection of the Anambra Command Headquarters in Awka on Wednesday.

    The zonal commander said the FRSC would carry out the tests to check offenders’ level of stability.

    He advised motorists in the zone to change their attitude and avoid being caught in the web of the new policy.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that RS5, Benin comprises Anambra, Delta and Edo states.

    Adeleye said the enforcement of the new traffic management policy would be comprehensive, adding that it had become expedient to check recklessness and enhance safety.

    The zonal commander said that so many lives had been lost on the highways, noting that some of the offences that would attract tests include use of phones, route violation and speeding.

    Adeleye, however, said that there was improvement on some of FRSC’s activities in the second quarter of 2016, adding that the corps should not relent in its efforts.

    “The FRSC has come up with a project to address the anomalies in the behaviour of road users; people using phone while driving and people engaging in excessive speeding.

    “It will also address those who fail to install speed limiter in their vehicles and people who drive against traffic.

    “With the good roads and no gridlock, we observe that people still chose to drive against traffic,” the zonal commander said.

    “Motorists caught committing these offences will be subjected to emotional and mental evaluation to check their level of stability and we are going to enforce that seriously.

    “I am using this opportunity to appeal to road users to be conscious of their safety and do everything possible to promote their safety.

    “Across the zone, there has been tremendous improvement over the first quarter in the areas of enforcement, public enlightenment and stakeholders’ engagement.”

    According to him, our response time to crash scenes has also improved to about five to six minutes.

    Adeleye commended the Anambra Command of the FRSC, headed by Mr. Sunday Ajayi, for a good job in keeping the corridor safe.

    He also thanked the state government for donating three motorcycles to the command to enhance its operations.

    “The Anambra Government came to our aid with three motorcycles to enhance our patrol monitoring; and we intend to monitor the whole routes,” he said.

    Contributing, Ajayi said the visit of the zonal commander was re-energising and would motivate them to do more for the safety of the people.

    “We cannot assess ourselves. The important thing is that we have not lost track in our duty to reduce crash and death.

    “The zonal commander is here to evaluate the situation in Anambra and with his coming we have been directed again on what to do.

    “We shall leverage on that to ensure that roads in Anambra become the safest in Nigeria,”

  • Auchi poly to sanction lecturers trading marks for money, sex

    Auchi poly to sanction lecturers trading marks for money, sex

    The Federal Polytechnic Auchi, Edo on Monday warned that it would henceforth sanction lecturers in the habit of awarding marks to students for money or sex.

    Dr Sanusi Jimah, the Acting Rector of the institution made the commitment when he received executive members of the polytechnic’s Alumni Association.

    “The management of Auchi poly will deal with corrupt lecturers who are fond of extorting money from students in order to award marks.

    “The management is keeping an eye on corrupt lecturers in the school and anyone caught would not be allowed to mark their scripts for the ongoing examination, if any case is registered against them,’’ Jimah said.

    The rector said that corruption would no longer be tolerated and vowed to fish out those who trade marks for sex and money which painted the institution in bad light.

    Earlier, National President of the association, Mr Victor Okhaimo pledged continued collaboration with the institution in the area of infrastructure and human capital development.

    He said that the association have confidence in the new rector to reposition the institution to greater height.

    Okhaimo commended the rector for restoring peace in the institution, and assured that the association would continue to play its role as mediator between the union and management in times of crisis.

  • LASTMA men for Edo, Kwara, Oyo

    LASTMA men for Edo, Kwara, Oyo

    The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) has redeployed two of its officers to Kwara, Oyo and Edo states.

    Yekeen Babatunde Bello now heads the Kwara State Road Traffic Management Authority (KWARTMA), while Femi Falade is now in charge of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA). Both men were seconded from LASTMA.

    Dennis Oloriegbe will resume duty as the new Managing Director of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency.

    LASTMA also carried out intensive training for traffic officers in Delta, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara and Rivers states.

    The training, it said, was to acclimatise them to international best practices so as to make them more efficient and service driven.

    The statement said Oloriegbe’s release was sequel to the request of the Edo State Government for him to come and reengineer, package and position the Edo State traffic outfit in accordance with the best global practices.

    Before his appointment, Oloriegbe was the Chief instructor and head of the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI), Ikeja centre. He joined the service of LASTMA in the year 2000 and served in various capacities meritoriously to become a Zonal head, where he supervised and managed activities of over one hundred traffic officials successfully.

    LASTMA General Manager Olawale Musa thanked Oloriegbe, and wished him the best in his new assignment and other future endeavours.

  • Notorious human trafficker arrested in Edo, three victims rescued

    Notorious human trafficker arrested in Edo, three victims rescued

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Sunday said it has arrested a notorious human trafficker and rescued three victims from his residence in Benin.

    Mr Josiah Emerole, the Head, Press and Public Relations, NAPTIP, disclosed the arrest in a statement issued in Abuja.

    Emerole disclosed that the 33-year-old man, Monday Ugbo, was nabbed after several weeks of surveillance by the operatives of the agency.

    He explained that the NAPTIP Benin Zonal Command arrested the suspected human trafficker at his residence located at number 72 Osayande St., Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, Edo.

    “Operatives of our agency have been on his trail for several weeks, following regular mention of his name in a number of human trafficking cases being handled by the Zonal Command.

    “Following intelligence reports that he was harbouring some girls in his house preparatory to their being trafficked abroad, the operative swooped on him in the early hours of Friday.

    “He was caught in the process of receiving a registration fee of N50,000 he had demanded from a prospective victim,” the spokesman said.

    According to him, the preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is also preparing to take the three girls to a River that morning for oath taking before they could embark on the journey to Europe.

    He said that Ugbo claimed to be a bricklayer and has been in the business of human trafficking for a long time operating with another woman now at large.

    The spokesperson added that the suspect was in the agency’s custody giving useful statements.

    Emerole quoted NAPTIP’s Director-General, Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, while reacting on the breakthrough commended the operatives, assuring that there is no hiding place for human traffickers anymore in Nigeria.

    Okah-Donli noted that the agency and its partners had resolved to collaborate more appropriately in stopping further trafficking of Nigerians both within and outside the country.

    Meanwhile, the NAPTIP spokesman has disclosed that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) had handed over 21 rescued victims of human trafficking to NAPTIP.

    He said that the age range of the victims was between 18 and 34 years, while one suspected trafficker was also handed over.

    According to him, 12 of the victims comprising five males and seven females were handed over to the Kano Zonal Command of the agency by the NIS after they were intercepted at Babamutum border area of Katsina State by the NIS border patrol.

    Emerole said that the victims were being moved outside the country as at the time they were rescued.

    He stated that another nine, all females, were handed over to the NAPTIP headquarters in Abuja by the NIS headquarters while attempting to procure International passports to travel out.

    The spokesman added that all the victims were presently with the agency for profiling and counseling. (NAN)