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Tag: Esan Central Local Government

  • Obaseki inspects Ewu, Ibore gully erosion remediation work

    …assures other communities of govt’s intervention

     

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured communities affected by gully erosion that the state’s intervention efforts would soon get to them, noting that ongoing remediation work at Ewu and Ibore gully erosion sites in Esan Central Local Government Area of the state would serve as a template to attend to their challenges.

    The remediation work at the Ewu and Ibore gully erosion sites is being executed by the state government and the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).

    The governor, who was at the site to inspect ongoing remediation work, identified human activities as the main cause of gully erosion, and urged residents of communities threatened by erosion and other forms of natural disasters to take proactive steps in raising the alarm for urgent government intervention.

    He noted, “If the communities had alerted government on time, the threat to their environment could have been prevented and unnecessary loss of lives and huge financial costs avoided.”

    Obaseki explained that the remediation work marked the end of the trauma, uncertainty, loss of lives and property in the two communities and a new beginning for proper environmental and waste management.

    He assured residents of Ugbalo Community, who are neighbors to Ibore that work would soon commence to address the challenge of flooding in the community.

    “In two months’ time, we will commence work at Ugbalo to tackle the runoff water from Ibore which is causing flooding there.”

    Read Also: Oshiomhole, Obaseki meet APC leaders in Edo

    The governor added that the state government’s next line of action in Esan Central Local Government council is economic empowerment for youths through technical education and revitalisation of Ewu Flour Mill to provide jobs.

    “I will also do something else for Ugbalo. The technical school at Irrua will be rehabilitated so your youth can acquire skills that would enable them sustain themselves.”

    Earlier, Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Dame Omoua Oni-Okpaku, said the remediation work on the erosion sites at Ewu and Ibore was among other ongoing projects across the state.

    Oni-Okpaku urged residents in the affected communities to cooperate with contractors handling the project to ensure completion of the project’s second phase.

    In his remarks, Onojie of Ewu, His Royal Highness, Rasaq Ojiefo III, expressed appreciation for the project, recounting how lives had been lost during rainy season, noting, “We thank you our governor, the contractors and everyone working towards the success of the project. We have lost over ten persons to this gully before this work commenced.”

    The spokesperson for Ibore Community, Mr. Theophilus Okoh, praised governor Obaseki for fulfilling his electioneering promises in 2016.

     

  • I spoke my mind to Obaseki – Ex-Commissioner

    A former Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Barrister  Ken Ihensekhien, has said that he boldly spoke his mind to Governor Godwin Obaseki for the interest of the All Progressive Congress in Edo Central Senatorial district.

    Ihensekhien said his words should not be misinterpreted to mean that dislike the governor or responsible for the attack on Governor Obaseki after a meeting at Irrua, headquarters of Esan Central local government.

    In a press statement made available to journalist, Ihensekhien said those linking him to the attack on Obaseki were misguided.

    The former commissioner stated that some of the APC leaders present at the meeting were not courageous enough to speak their minds even though they habour serious misgivings in their minds about the APC administration in the state.

    He urged APC leaders in Edo Central not pretend about the fact that they need to do more to be able to defeat their opponents in the area during the forthcoming general elections.

    According to him, “To put the record straight, I was present at the meeting with His Excellency, Governor Obaseki at Irrua and those present will attest to the fact that I spoke my mind boldly and sincerely.

    Read Also: APC leaders condemn attack on Obaseki

    “Some APC leaders instead of burying their heads in shame for behaving as cowards, but have decided to turn around to vilify and blackmail me for speaking my mind.

    “Therefore, I wish to state unequivocally that I never at any given time asked or sponsored the person or persons to molest the governor, an action I am totally against.

    “But if some disgruntled leaders of APC have genuine reason to believe that I have hands or that I played any role on the attack on the state governor, they should come up with their facts and evidences or otherwise keep quiet and repent from blackmailing innocent politicians, especially my humble self.”

  • Killer herdsmen in Edo are fleeing terrorists – Obaseki

    Killer herdsmen in Edo are fleeing terrorists – Obaseki

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that suspected herdsmen raping and killing women in the state were terrorists that fled from fighting in the North Eastern part of Nigeria.

    Two elderly women identified as Christiana and Matina were last week raped and killed at their various farms by the suspected herdsmen in Ewu community, Esan Central local government.

    Earlier in March this year, traditional ruler of Ekperi, HRH Deke Yakubu Kanoba, the Ijiegbai of Ekperi, raised alarm that his subjects may not go to farm this farming season over presence of suspected runaway book haram members at a forest in his locality.

    The Ijiegbai of Ekperi who spoke at meeting of Eminent Persons Forum with the State Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu said that the men at the forest were armed with AK47 riffles.

    Governor Obaseki who spoke Thursday when he visited families of the slain women described the incident as a national security threat.

    Obaseki told the people that the killers were not ordinary herdsmen but Boko Haram fighters who fled from the war in the North East.

    He assured the people that his administration would deal with the menace within the next few weeks as he has ordered security to be beefed up in the area from the boundaries of Kogi State.

    His words, “These are not just herdsmen, they are Boko Haram terrorists but we are working hard to put an end to this.

    “In a matter of weeks, we are coming out with certain measures to stop these attacks. We will rely on timely accurate information from all communities. I am going to see the Inspector General of Police on this matter.

    “Don’t be scared of going to your farms. We have stepped up security in this area from Kogi State.”

    Governor Obaseki who promised to ensure autopsy are conducted on the corpses also visited Ehimen Abuya, one of the villagers at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, who was allegedly shot at by soldiers during a protest against the killing of the two women.

    Ehimen, whose leg would soon be amputated, told the governor they were on a peaceful protest against the herdsmen attack when they were shot at by soldiers.

    Obaseki promised to pay the medical bills, provide artificial lower limb and give adequate assistance to integrate him back to the society.

    Spokesman for the community, Sydney Ikhajiagba, said members of the community were now living with fear and that the women were now scared of going to farms.

    “When we got to the farm, we saw her naked and worms coming out of her mouth. She was dragged to the place where she was raped and killed. It was a pathetic sight. Such a thing has never happened in Ewu town.”

     

  • 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.