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Tag: ONDO

  • Tension in Ondo community as herdsman dies in clash with vigilance group 

    Tension in Ondo community as herdsman dies in clash with vigilance group 

    There is tension among residents of Ikakumo community in Akoko Northeast local government area of Ondo state over the killing of a herdsman during a clash with vigilance group in the locality.

    Two other persons including Commander of the vigilance were injured in the clash.

    Some residents in the community said they were afraid of reprisal attacks from the herdsmen.

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    It was gathered that the clash occurred when a member of vigilance group challenged a herdsman who last month kidnapped one Balogun at Ikakumo community in Edo state.

    A fracas ensued between the herdsmen and the vigilance group with one of the herders was stabbed to death.

    The two injured persons were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo.

    Ondo Police spokesman, Ayanlade Olayinka Olushola, confirmed the incident and said investigation has commenced.

  • Former Ondo guber candidate Edema dumps NNPP, faults party’s leadership

    Former Ondo guber candidate Edema dumps NNPP, faults party’s leadership

    The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) candidate in the 2024 Ondo State governorship election, Hon. Olugbenga Edema, has formally resigned from the party, citing treachery and deep-seated internal crises.

    In a resignation letter addressed to the NNPP Chairman in Ward 11, Ilaje Local Government Area, Edema expressed disappointment with the party’s leadership, which he said had been riddled with rancour and disunity since he joined in June 2024.

    According to him, the internal wranglings within the NNPP have stifled the party’s growth and rendered it unfit for any serious contender seeking electoral victory.

    “The party is not healthy for any serious-minded individual aiming to win elections,” Edema said, adding that the conduct of the party’s leadership contradicts the core purpose of political organisations—to form government at various levels.

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    Edema’s decision came after his legal challenge to the election of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was weakened by the NNPP’s sudden withdrawal from the suit, a move he described as a betrayal.

    He concluded by stating that he has learned valuable lessons from his experience within the NNPP.

    According to him, “Since my over 35 years in active political party participation, I have never seen a political party with a leadership so treacherous to the extent of frustrating its candidate by withdrawing a legitimate case in court in favour of an opposing party against its candidate.

    “It is apparent that the objective of the party is radically different from the above-stated objectives of any serious-minded political party.

    “From the foregoing, it is obvious that I am not on the same page with the leadership of the party as to what a party’s objectives and values should be.

    “By this letter, therefore, I hereby cease to be a member of the New Nigeria People’s Party with effect from today, 09th May, 2025. No doubt, lessons have been learnt.”

  • Court remands Ondo self-acclaimed monarch, two others

    Court remands Ondo self-acclaimed monarch, two others

    An Ondo State Magistrates’ Court has remanded Olujare of Ijare, Oba Adekolajo Aladeseyi, in prison custody for installing himself as king without an authorisation from the state government.

    Two of his chiefs; Fasore Lawrence and Adegbenro Akanle, who participated in the inauguration were also remanded.

    They were accused of engaging in acts capable of instigating a crisis in Ijare community, Ifedore Local Government Area.

    The Olujare royal stool has been vacant since 2021 and the royal houses have been at war over who becomes the next Olujare.

    A three-count charge of conduct likely to cause breach of peace and deliberate flouting the chief law of the state were preferred against them.

    According to the charges, “That you Adekolajo Aladeseyi, Fasore Lawrence and Adegbenro Akanle and others at large on the 15th day of April, 2025 about 1:00 am at Ijare town within the Jurisdiction of the Honourable Court did conspire together to commit misdemeanor to wit conduct likely to cause breach of public peace and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 517 (A) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State ,Nigeria, 2006.”

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    “That you Adekolajo Aladeseyi, Fasore Lawrence, Adegbenro Akanle and others at large on the same date, time and place at about the aforementioned Magisterial District did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause breach Public peace by illegally and purport to install one Adekolajo Aladese as the Olujare of Ijare without the approval of the Ondo State Executive Council of Chief and thereby committed an offense contrary to punishable under Section 249 (d) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

    “That you Adekolajo Aladeseyi, Fasore Lawrence, Ajidahun, Adegbenro Akanle and others at large on the same date, time and place at the aforementioned Magisterial district did install or purport to install Adekolajo Aladeseyi as the Olujare of Ijare without the approval by the Ondo State Executive Council of Chiefs and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 15(1) (2) (a) (b) of the Ondo State Chiefs Law Cap. 27 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”

    The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges and the prosecutor, Babatunde Ajiboye, informed the court that he will present seven witnesses to testify

    Counsel to the defendants, Mr Adelanke Akinrata, urged the court to grant bail to the defendants in liberal terms and assured the court that the defendants would not jump bail.

    Akinrata said the accused persons would not tamper with the investigation, adding that they were responsible chiefs who would not plunge the community into crisis.

    One of the kingmakers in Ijare, Chief Wemimo Olaniran, warned that the community would plunge into crisis if the court granted bail to the accused person.

     He said kingmakers in the community were living in fear of being attacked by hoodlums loyal to the defendants.

    Chief Wemimo said other princes would also install themselves as king.

    Presiding Magistrate, Solomon Ogungade, remanded the defendants to custody and adjourned ruling on the bail application to May 12.

  • Landlord’s son kills tenant during argument in Ondo

    Landlord’s son kills tenant during argument in Ondo

    A 22-year-old lady, Joy Tale, has been reportedly killed by her landlord’s son, Odunayo Olomolatan, 41, in Ode-Irele, Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) learnt that the tenant was hacked to death on Monday during an argument.

    DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, the spokesman for the Police Command in Ondo State, confirmed the incident to NAN in a telephone interview.

    Ayanlade said that the suspect has been arrested and in the custody of the Divisional Police Headquarters, Ode-Irele.

    Read Also: Six injured as police, Amotekun Corps clash in Ondo

    He disclosed that investigation has begun to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of the lady.

    “Yes, I can confirm to you that the lady was allegedly hacked to death during argument between her and her landlord son.

    “The suspect has been arrested and investigation is ongoing to unravel circumstances surround the lady’s death,”Ayanlade said.

    Meanwhile, Olajide Akinfe, the Chairman of the local government, has called for calm over the incident, urging residents not to take laws into their hands.

    Akinfe, who claimed to have visited the divisional police headquarters, said that measures have been put in place to ensure that the suspect did not escape justice.

    (NAN)

  • How I reduced Ondo domestic debt to N12bn, by Aiyedatiwa

    How I reduced Ondo domestic debt to N12bn, by Aiyedatiwa

    Edo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has said that his administration accomplished reduction of domestic debt by an unprecedented 82.6 percent within one year by implementing sweeping cost-control measures.

    Aiyedatiwa said he achieved the feat without halting public services or sacrificing workers’ welfare.

    Data from the Debt Management Office (DMO) on states’ debt comparison between 2023 and 2024 showed Ondo State at the top in reducing domestic debt  from N74bn in 2023 to N12bn in 2024, a difference of N61billion and a percentage of 82.6.

    Aiyedatiwa said the reduction was not merely statistic but a reflection of deliberate policy choices, strong leadership, and responsible governance.

    Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, Aiyedatiwa said the development has made significant on the economy of the state and restored investors’ and residents’ confidence in his administration.

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    “This outstanding achievement is attributed to the strategic economic reforms and financial prudence of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration since its inception.

    “Since coming into office in December 2023, Governor Aiyedatiwa has made a top priority payment of backlog of salaries, gratuities and contractual obligations owed by the state government.

    “In the first quarter of 2024 alone, Ondo State recorded a 77 percent domestic debt reduction, amounting to ₦55.11 billion. The state’s debt profile dropped from ₦71.5 billion in December 2023 to just ₦16.4 billion by March 2024. This feat placed Ondo second only to Jigawa State in terms of domestic debt reduction during the period under review.

    “With this achievement, Ondo State stands out as a model for fiscal discipline, financial resilience, and strategic planning in Nigeria’s public sector.”

  • Kidnapping: Amotekun arrests 750 suspects in Ondo

    Kidnapping: Amotekun arrests 750 suspects in Ondo

    The Ondo State Security Network, codenamed Amotekun Corps, said it has arrested over 750 suspects across the state between January and April 2025.

    It said 175 of the suspects have been profiled and arraigned before the court of law.

    Other suspects, according to Ondo Amotekun Commander, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, were undergoing investigation.

    Adeleye cautioned residents in the state to be cautious of scavengers, saying an investigation showed the scavengers acted as spies for bandits and kidnappers.

    He said the state government was working on stopping the activities of scavengers in the state.

    The Ondo Amotekun Commander spoke when he paraded 32 suspects arrested for various crimes ranging from kidnappings, vandalism, armed robbery, rape and murder.

    Among those arrested were 13 suspected kidnappers linked to the abduction of high-profile individuals in the state.

    Adeleye said 180 cultists were arrested, out of which 80 cultists were asked to renounce cultism, while some were convicted.

    He said the recently launched Operation Dada by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa helped to stem rising kidnapping incidents and attacks on farmers by kidnappers.

    Adeleye said security has been beefed up at many border communities to prevent any attack by suspected herders.

    He stated that the Corps received over 500 distress calls within the period under review and responded appropriately.

    Read Also: Amotekun apprehends robbery suspect after escape from police custody

    According to him, “The state government is working on banning activities of scavengers. Many of them have been discovered to be working for bandits, kidnappers, and armed robbers.

    “Credible information provided led to the interception of 114 persons who were planning to stay in our forest. They have been sent back to their various states.

    “We successfully returned the $5000 recovered from a syndicate that specialized in defrauding unsuspecting persons from Ghana.

    “A total of 28 Ghanaians were among several victims of the scam and they have been advised to return to their country.

  • Ondo vows to stop activities of scavengers over kidnapping

    Ondo vows to stop activities of scavengers over kidnapping

    Ondo state government has said it would stop the activities of scavengers in Akure, the state capital, and environs.

    It said the move was due to incessant vandalism of public infrastructure and the recent discovery that some scavengers acted as informants to bandits, kidnappers, and armed robbers.

    Commander of the Ondo Amotekun Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this while parading 31 suspects arrested for various crimes ranging from kidnappings, vandalism, armed robbery, rape and murder.

    Among those arrested were 13 suspected kidnappers linked to the abduction of high-profile individuals in the state.

    Akogun Adeleye said the Ondo Amotekun Corps arrested over 750 suspects across the state in the first quarter of 2025.

    Adeleye said 175 of the suspects have been arraigned, while others were still under investigation.

    He said the recently launched Operation Dada by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa helped to stem rising kidnapping incidents and attacks on farmers by kidnappers.

    Read Also: Ondo Police train 160 personnel

    Adeleye said the Corps received over 500 distress calls within the period under review and responded appropriately.

    According to him, “The state government is working on banning activities of scavengers. Many of them have been discovered to be working for bandits, kidnappers, and armed robbers.

    “Credible information provided led to the interception of 114 persons who were planning to stay in our forest. They have been sent back to their various states.

    “We successfully returned the $5000 recovered from a syndicate that specialized in defrauding unsuspecting persons from Ghana.

    “A total of 28 Ghanaians were among several victims of the scam, and they have been advised to return to their country.”

  • Gani Adams urges FG to tackle insecurity in Benue, Plateau, Ondo

    Gani Adams urges FG to tackle insecurity in Benue, Plateau, Ondo

    The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, has called on the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the worsening security situation in Benue, Plateau, and Ondo states.

    Speaking at the grand finale of the 2025 Eledumare Festival in Lagos, Adams condemned the recent spate of killings and kidnappings allegedly perpetrated by armed herders in the affected states.

    He warned that continued inaction from the federal government would further threaten national stability and economic prospects.

    “These insecurity issues go a long way to affect food security, given the important role Benue, Plateau, and Ondo states play in the food production cycle of the nation,” Adams said. “The crisis also gives a sense of instability and discourages foreign investors.”

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    Adams stressed the urgency of the situation, urging the Federal Government to prioritise the protection of citizens over political interests.

    “The government at the centre cannot continue to turn a blind eye to these necessary demands. The time to act is now. We must act decisively in the interest of our people,” he added.

    His remarks come amid rising violence across the country. In Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia revealed that at least 598 people have been killed in recent attacks. In Plateau, over 100 lives have been lost in Bokkos and Bassa LGAs, prompting protests led by the Christian Association of Nigeria. Ondo State has also witnessed tragedy, with gunmen killing over 20 farmers in Akure North LGA.

    Adams’ comments add to growing public pressure on the Federal Government to restore peace and security across the country.

  • Greed, power lust behind friction between governors, deputies – Ondo ex-deputy governor

    Greed, power lust behind friction between governors, deputies – Ondo ex-deputy governor

    Former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, has attributed the recurring rift between state governors and their deputies to greed and an unbridled lust for power by some deputy governors.

    Speaking in an interview in Akure, Oluboyo emphasised that the Nigerian Constitution clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of a deputy governor, and that stepping beyond those boundaries often causes unnecessary tension.

    “It all depends on how you treat your boss, and how your boss treats you,” he said. “Greed is what pushes some deputies to rebel. The Constitution already outlines what they are meant to do.”

    Citing examples from Ondo State, he noted that history has shown that deputy governors who failed to respect their roles often ended up clashing with their principals.

    Oluboyo also used the opportunity to declare his intention to contest for the position of Ondo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that opposition parties in the state were no longer relevant.

    He said: “A deputy governor is not a spare tyre. The way I look at a spare tyre is that if the main tire has a problem, then you replace it. But the deputy governor is not like that. When the Governor go for another assignment, the deputy governor steps in. In fact, when I was a deputy governor, I attended national meetings with Buhari. My governor had other very important assignments. So I can say the governor and deputy are one. 

    “I’m sorry to say this, some Deputy Governors are overambitious. They want to be Governor. Why don’t they wait till the tenure of the Governor ends before they start nursing ambition? The rules are very clear. When the governor is not around, the deputy governor steps in. The emoluments, the salaries, everything about the deputy governor is clearly stated. 

    “We are practising the written constitution. I don’t know why we misunderstood all these things. It’s a very clear situation, but greediness and fighting for what is not. If your governor didn’t give you something, that is his style. Otherwise, wait for your time. We should have the habit of waiting for our time.”

    Alhaji Oluboyo said the dearth of opposition in the state would make the planned Coalition against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC not materialised in the state.

    He said those spearheading the Coalition were politicians who failed to perform when they held various positions of Governors and Ministers in the country. 

    He said his interest in becoming the next state party chairman was because he remained the best long the contestants.

     According to him, “I’ve said it earlier that there is no opposition in Ondo State. If somebody is thinking that one party is coming to sweep in Ondo state, that person is wasting their time.

    “There is nothing bad about it, the Coalition. This is democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of association. If two or three parties come together and form a coalition, fine. The Coalition, at the end of the day, can adopt APC. I can assure you of the way they are going. I don’t see any sign of a Coalition in Ondo State. Maybe they are doing it on the network. If there’s a real coalition, somebody like me would have noticed that. But there is no coalition in Ondo State.

    “We, the seasoned politicians, are not looking at the Coalition. Our focus is on how to better the lives of the citizens. They are not there as far as we are concerned. We are not there. We are not looking at the Coalition.”

    “I’m a frank person. If any Coalition is going in Ondo state, I would have noticed it, because I started my politics from the grassroots, and I’m not a politician who stays in the state and doesn’t know what is going on. I go home every Friday. I know what is going on in Akure here. I know what is going on in our so where is the Coalition? Maybe they are still warming up, or maybe they are still doing the activities in the inner room. But I want to tell you it will die on arrival.”

  • Crisis looms as scavenger kills youth in Ondo

    Crisis looms as scavenger kills youth in Ondo

    Crisis is looming in Okitipupa, headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, over the killing of one Prince Ogo Omoge by a scavenger identified as Machido Abubakar.

    There were fears that youths of Okitipupa might carry out reprisal attacks on the Hausa/Fulani community.

    To avert any possible clash, the chairman of Okitipupa Local Government Area, Andrew Ogunsakin, engaged local leaders, representatives of the Hausa/Fulani community, traditional rulers, and youth groups to extract a commitment to peace.

    Ogunsakin said the discussion led to the arrest of the suspect.

    The incident happened along the Ayeka/Igodan-Igbokoda expressway.

    Witnesses said the suspect used a dagger to slit tthe neck of the deceased during a fracas.

    According to the source, “There was a minor disagreement between Prince Omoge and the scavenger. What started as a small issue quickly spiralled out of control.

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    “He was brutally killed, and the attacker fled the scene immediately afterwards. The victim was rushed to the hospital but was sadly pronounced dead by medical personnel.”

    Ondo Police spokesman, SP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the suspect has been arrested and is currently in police custody.

    “Yes, I can confirm the incident occurred on April 17, 2025. One suspect has been arrested and is currently being held in custody.”