The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Uhunmwode

  • Gunmen kill man, wife, son, grand-daughter over land

    Gunmen have killed a man, his only son, wife and grand-daughter over piece of land.

    The man identified as Edebiri and his family were shot dead at the residence at Ugbogun village in Uhunmwode local government area.

    Two of his daughters narrowly escaped death by the whiskers as they were in the room when the gunmen opened fire.

    Narrating what happened, elder brother of the deceased who gave his name as Pa Osaretin Oteh, said his brother might have been killed for refusing to give his land to the Community Development Association in the village.

    Pa Osaretin said CDA activities was still operational in the community despite the proscription of CDA activities in the state.

    He said his late brother refused to allow the CDA members take possession of the land.

    A daughter of the deceased, Sandra, said the gunmen pointed a gun on her head and demanded for money, phones and jewelries.

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    She said she heard gunshot and opened her eyes to see her parents and siblings dead.

    Sandra stated that her father had informed them about threat to his life but they did not take it seriously until the gunmen struck.

    Her sister, Princess said the gunmen fired at all of them in the room to ensure that they were killed.

    “They killed our father, mother, brother and my niece. We want the police to find the killers.”

    Police spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, could not be reached for comments.

    Corpses of the victims have been deposited at the mortuary.

     

  • Edo: National Housing Programme creates 3,000 jobs

    The ongoing National Housing Programme ( NHP ) by the Federal Government in Benin, Edo, has generated over 3,000 employments and empowerment to Nigerians within the locality.

    Mrs Ebemeata Ani-Otoibhi, the Team Leader, NHP, Edo, made this known on Tuesday in Benin while briefing newsmen after the inspection of the project.

    Ani-Otoibhi said that the ongoing project with about 12 different contractors has attained 80 per cent completion.

    The newsmen reports that the inspection was part of the South-South Zone media inspection organised by the Ministry Power, Works and Housing.

    The 64-unit housing project is located at Idumwen-Ehigie, along Benin-Auchi road in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of the state.

    “Since the inception of the project, more than 3,000 skilled and unskilled workers, including contractors, artisans, building materials suppliers, block moulders; food vendors and security guards have been employed.

    “These people have impacted positively on the lives of the people and this is one of the objectives of the project.

    “So, the objectives are to address and improve socio-economic conditions through employment generation, poverty alleviation and empowerment of people within the locality,’’ she said.

    Ani-Otoibhi noted that the project, which started in March 2017, would finally be completed by June 2018.

    She added that the project has also increased commercial activities in the state as well as enhancing development in the location.

    “We have some security challenges arising from community issues but we have not experienced theft because we employed day and night security guard in the site.’’

    The road contractor, Mr James Okafor said that the company has been able to clear the soil and would be filling the soil immediately after evacuation.

    “The project has impacted on me positively because I have been able to foot my bills, take care of my family.

    “The project has also helped me to settle some other financial challenges, which I was not able to do before the commencement of the project.

    “More than 10 people are working under our company and we intend to employ more people. We have surveyors, engineers among others working with us.

    Okafor noted that non mobilisation of fund was one of the challenges facing the company presently.

    He appealed to the government to release more fund for the project as soon possible to enable them meet the deadline for the completion of the project.

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    “One thing is to award a project; the second thing is the supervision while thirdly is the completion of the project.

    “The government should do the needful by following up the project and releasing money as and when due,’’ he said.

    Meanwhile, a food vendor at the site, Mrs Regina Ibe commended the Federal Government for creating means of livelihood for some of them through the project.

    “I make between N27, 000 to N35, 000 daily from this place. The money I generate has helped me to take care of my children education and I have also bought a land for my family to build our own house.

    The newsmen reports that installation of 500KVA transformer and supply of electricity by Messrs Rosco Progenitors Synergies Ltd. is also on course.

    The purpose of the media inspection is basically to access the level of progress made on the project in the South-South Zone and to access the level of infrastructure to complement the housing units.

    Also, the media inspection was to access the economic impact made by the programme to the Growth of Domestic Product ( GDP ) in the country.

    NAN

  • Police comb forest in search of abducted catholic priest

    Men of the Edo State Police Command have begun combing forest in Uhunmwode local government area in search of a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Edwin Omorogbe, who was abducted on Wednesday evening.

    State Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Kokumo, who confirmed the development said all efforts were being made to secure the release of Fr. Omorogbe.

    Fr. Omorogbe was abducted at Egba junction along the Benin-Ekpoma highway while returning from Uromi, Esan North East local government area.

    Kokumo assured that the kidnapped Priest would be released as soon as possible.

  • Crisis rocks Uhunmwode APC over appointments

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State is enmeshed in a crisis over the list of political appointees to be submitted to Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    A faction of the party, led by Charles Idahosa and the party’s Chairman in the area, Harrison Oyegue, suspended 30 members of the party.

    The suspension was announced on Friday and ratified by the state’s Secretary of the party, Chief Osaro Idah.

    Those suspended included a former Minority Whip in the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie, popular columnist, Mr. Josef Omorotiomwan, as well as Mr. Roland Alari.

    They were suspended for alleged anti-party activities and working against the party during the governorship election.

    But the Omorotiomwan-led faction at a media briefing yesterday in Benin, the state capital, suspended Idahosa as the party’s leader in Uhunmwode.

    APC’s Acting Chairman in the area, Monday Okpeki, said a disciplinary committee, headed by Samuel Iroh, had been set up to try Idahosa and the other party members.

    He named Omorotiomwan as the new leader of APC in Uhunmwode and accused the state leadership of bias in handling the party crisis.

    He said: “In the process of their illegal suspension, they threw caution to the winds, ignoring due process, particularly the provisions of Article 21 of the APC Constitution, which clearly spells out the modalities for disciplining erring members.

    “In all seriousness, we do not intend to allow ourselves to be used as a football by political nitwits in their struggle for naked power. This underscores the need at this point to show you the type of political liabilities that are purporting to suspend serious-minded people in a serious political party.

    “We challenge Charles Idahosa to show evidence that he has ever won in his polling unit. The antics of this political mercenary are that he keeps extorting the party and its members without any regard for the party’s fortunes. He remains an electoral liability that must be ignored.

    “Incidentally, suspension has become a major scare-crow in Nigerian politics, but we insist that it must be appropriately directed. In the particular case of Uhunmwode Local Government Area, we have identified a number of people who don’t wish the APC well. They are against the wheel of the party’s progress. They are enemies of progress and they have compromised the interest and growth of the party on several occasions.”