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Tag: Edo

  • 2023: Why We Denied Peter Obi Access To Edo Stadium – Obaseki

    2023: Why We Denied Peter Obi Access To Edo Stadium – Obaseki

    Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Friday defended his government’s decision not to approve the use of the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium for a Labour party rally in the state.

    Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the Governor said the notice for approval arrived too late.

    Mr Obaseki said the government received notice 24 hours to the event.

    “The tracks for that stadium are still under warranty,” he said. “The pitch has to be maintained in a certain mould. So it’s not just another facility you can use without preparing.”

    Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Obaseki’s party, had used the stadium for a rally on October 22.

    He said the PDP met the conditions for using the stadium.

    “And the only reason why we allowed the PDP rally was because it was also used as an opportunity to commission that facility. Otherwise most other rallies are held in other large grounds around the city.”

    Mr Obaseki said he was disappointed with the Labour party.

    “I thought they were more serious,” he said.

    Many believe the government’s decision to refuse the stadium’s use for the Labour party was due to Mr Obaseki’s fear of Peter Obi’s rising political profile.

    Mr Obi is the presidential candidate of the Labour party in the 2023 elections.

    Mr Obaseki dismissed such an idea on Friday.

    “They can show us virtually but not on the ground,” he laughed.

    “We are on ground. We’ll see. It’s February 23rd.”

    Meanwhile, a large number of people showed up on Friday as Obi visited Edo state.

  • 2023: Atiku arrives in Edo for Presidential Campaign

    2023: Atiku arrives in Edo for Presidential Campaign

    The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar is currently in Edo State for the party’s presidential campaign.

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  • Seven Police Officers Arrested for Extorting Road User

    Seven Police Officers Arrested for Extorting Road User

    Seven police officers attached to Edo police command have been arrested for extorting members of the public.

    The officers identified as Victor Osabuohign, Godspower Ijebu, Ebatamole Philip, Ademola Benjamin, Inaite Vincent, Robert Esikise, and Adefaye Samuel, are already facing disciplinary action.

    Edo police command spokesperson, Juliet Iwegbu said in a statement;

    “The attention of the Edo State Police Command has been drawn to a video on Twitter where a policeman, Victor Osabuohign, was seen engaging in an extortion conversation with a road user identified as Arc Bolu.

    “Osabuohign, the officer in the viral video, has been arrested, detained, and is currently undergoing investigation. The other officers that have also been arrested before now on the grounds of official corruption are undergoing investigations while awaiting disciplinary actions.

    “The command wishes to state that the Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, has set up an Ad hoc committee headed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations, James Chu and the Command’s Provost Marshall, Avanrenren Godwin, as the Deputy Chairman of the committee, to look at all cases of official corruption of men of the command, investigate and met out relevant disciplinary actions on such erring officers.

    “The CP calls on the good people of the state that have been victims of corruption, extortion and checking of phones or have any other form of grievances against corruption from officers and men of the command to contact members of the panel.

    “He further urged the public to go about their daily activities as law-abiding citizens and not hesitate to report any misconduct of any personnel of the command whether on duty or off-duty.”

  • Police Kill Notorious Armed Robber In Edo

    Police Kill Notorious Armed Robber In Edo

    The Edo State Police Command says its operatives have killed a suspected notorious armed robber in Benin City, the state capital.

    Ms Jennifer Iwegbu, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer in Edo, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

    According to her, operatives attached to Ugbor Divisional Headquarters neutralised the suspect very early in the morning.

    The command spokesperson explained that the Divisional Police officer in charge of Ugbor Division received a distress call at about 4:45am that there was an armed robbery operation ongoing along the Abuja quarters by Benson Idahosa University.

    She added that the assailants, on sighting the police operatives led by the DPO in charge of the police division, engaged them in a gun duel.

    According to Iwegbu, the police operatives overpowered the suspects, killed one of them, and recovered some items, including a pump-action gun and five live cartridges.

  • Gunmen Kidnap Two Catholic Priests In Edo

    Gunmen Kidnap Two Catholic Priests In Edo

    Gunmen have kidnapped two Catholic priests in Edo State, amid the continued abduction of clergymen in the country.

    Police authorities in the state have confirmed the incident which occurred on Saturday night around Ehor and Iruekpen communities along the Benin-Auchi Expressway.

    In a statement on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer in Edo, Chidi Nwabuzor, identified the victims as Reverend Father Udo Peter of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Uromi, and Reverend Father Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Centre, Ugboha in Esan South East Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

    Barely a week before the incident, Channels Television reported the abduction and subsequent killing of Reverend Father Christopher Odia of St. Michael Catholic Church, lkhabigbo in Etsako LGA of Edo State.

    He was abducted from his rectory last Sunday while he was on his way to conduct a mass for worshippers at the parish.

    But the clergyman was later killed by his abductors out of frustration during a fire exchange with security operatives who were on a rescue mission.

    Nwabuzor, while narrating the latest incident, said one Reverend Father Amos Abhulimen of St. Dominic Catholic Church, Ugboha informed the police of the abduction of his colleagues.

    According to him, the Commissioner of Police Edo, Abutu Yaro, has dispatched security operatives to the area with a view to rescuing the clergymen and arresting the kidnappers.

  • Workers’ Day: Gov Obaseki Increases Minimum Wage To N40,000 in Edo

    Workers’ Day: Gov Obaseki Increases Minimum Wage To N40,000 in Edo

    Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Sunday approved N40,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the state in commemoration of 2022 Workers’ Day.

    Obaseki, who made the announcement in Benin while delivering his 2022 Workers’ Day speech, said his government will continue to prioritise the welfare of Edo workers, equipping them with the capacity and environment to deliver efficient and quality service to the people.

    “As we all know, the minimum of N30,000 can barely sustain a family. It will be immoral and mindless of us to continue to pretend that we do not know that our workers are suffering,” he said.

    “The government of Edo has now decided to review the minimum for Edo workers from N30,000 to N40,000 a month. Undoubtedly, Edo is the first state since the current outbreak of coronavirus to take this initiative.

    “Even though we would have loved to pay more, we hope that this little adjustment would enable us to cushion the impact of the inflation that we are faced with. There is no doubt that the financial implications will be heavy and put another burden on the government.

    “But as a government, we are prepared to make the sacrifices so that the workers can live a better life. Your welfare is our number one priority.”

    While reassuring his government’s relentless support to senior citizens in the state, Obaseki lamented the hardship experienced by pensioners and other senior citizens because of the rising cost of food and other items.

    “I am particularly interested in our senior citizens because they are one of the most vulnerable in our society. We took interest in payments of outstanding pensions to our pensioners although these pensions were held by the previous administration.

    “In view of the prevailing economic circumstances, I have now approved, effective this May, the agreement we reached with the Union of Pensioners that the harmonized amount would be paid from May 2022.

    “Government is aware of the difficulties faced by the pensioners due to the non-payment of pension and gratuities to pensioners by previous governments. This responsibility is huge, and it will require a substantial part of our resources to settle them.

    “However, we are not a government that is known for running away from challenges; we will look for a way to tackle these challenges,” the governor added.

    Obaseki however urged workers in the state to take advantage of opportunities offered by his administration in the agricultural sector to increase food production in the country.

    Earlier in his address, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Odion Olaye, charged the Federal Government to step up efforts to tackle the high rate of insecurity, unemployment, and hunger in the country.

  • Gov. Ortom-led committee returns peace to Edo PDP

    Gov. Ortom-led committee returns peace to Edo PDP

    The crisis that engulfed the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been finally resolved.

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who is also the Chairman of the committee set up by the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the PDP, disclosed this to journalists, Wednesday, at the end of a meeting that lasted more than six hours, with the warring parties at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

    The PDP had on March 16th, 2022, at its 95th NEC meeting constituted a three-member reconciliation committee to resolve the crisis in the Edo State chapter of the party.

    The committee has Governor Ortom as chairman, while Governors Ifeanyi Okowa, Bala Mohammed and Dairus Ishaku of Delta, Bauchi and Taraba States, respectively are members.

    Members of the committee and the warring factions in the Edo crises were beaming with smiles as they stepped out of the meeting hall at about midnight.

    Governor Ortom, who was flanked by members of the committee, as well as Governor Godwin Obaseki and Chief Dan Orbih made brief remarks to journalists on the outcome of the prolonged meeting.

    He said: “As you are aware, the National Executive Committee of our great party put us together to resolve the issues in Edo State; and successfully by the grace of God, we have resolved all the issues and are going back to Edo State as one PDP. No more factions, no more disagreement. And by the grace of God, we are sure that it shall be well in Edo State”

    Others who were present at the meeting included the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu, National Vice Chairman of PDP, South-South, Chief Dan Orbih; Senators and members of House of Representatives from Edo State, as well as the Edo State PDP Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi.

  • Uromi: Black day in Edo as Armed Robbers hit 4 banks, kill Scores

    Uromi: Black day in Edo as Armed Robbers hit 4 banks, kill Scores

    Uromi in Edo State, on Thursday, witnessed one of the most daring bank robbery in Nigeria’s recent history.

    More than 20 armed men attacked the town, under Esan North-West LGA in broad daylight, and operated for about 2 hours.

    Explosives were used to breach the banks’ entrance, while packages of money were carried out and stuffed in different cars.

    Photos and videos on social media show the level of carnage and murder of Nigerians, including security officers.

    The number of casualties are unknown but figures provided by eyewitnesses suggest no less than 7 deaths; others sustained injuries.

    The residents accused the police and other security agencies of abandoning them. One footage shows two soldiers taking cover amid gunfire.

    The robbery and killings elicited outrage from Nigerians, wondering how the assailants operated freely.

    Edo Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Kongtons Bello, said the leadership was assessing the situation.

    Bello told DAILY POST on Friday that personnel of different security agencies had been deployed to the area.

    “The incident that happened yesterday is true. There was an attack on four commercial banks and the police division in that area.

    “The Commissioner of Police has sent reinforcement from the State headquarters to beef up security and to ensure the fleeing gang of criminals are arrested.

    “And also ensure peace and order are restored to the town. The police and others security agencies are ensuring that happens.

    “The Commissioner and the management team have moved to the site for an on-the-site assessment of the damages and losses”, the PRO disclosed.

  • Gunmen kidnap Edo PDP chieftain, Pa Imasogie

    Gunmen kidnap Edo PDP chieftain, Pa Imasogie

    Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted Pa Owere Dickson Imasogie, a prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo South Senatorial district.

    He was said to have been abducted alongside his driver and another person, whose identity had not been ascertained, at the Benin-Agbor highway in the early hours of Monday, September 13.

    It was gathered that Pa Imasogie was on his way to one of his farms when the gunmen struck.

    A group known as “Edo State Decide Movement” confirmed the abduction in a statement and urged Governor Godwin Obaseki to, as matter of urgency, “take a drastic action as to rescue the father to all and others from the hands of the hoodlums or kidnappers who are enemies of progress in our dear state.”

    Imasogie is a commercial farmer who owns large farmlands.

  • COVID-19: Edo Moves To Stop Unvaccinated Doctors From Treating Patients

    COVID-19: Edo Moves To Stop Unvaccinated Doctors From Treating Patients

    The Edo State Government has said from next week, unvaccinated doctors will be denied access to their patients.

    The Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, Dr. Osamwonyi Irowa, who disclosed this during COVID-19 briefing in Benin City, the state capital, said teachers who have not been vaccinated would also not be allowed to go into classrooms.

    He said other public servants in the state who are yet to be vaccinated would not be allowed to access government offices.

    He said the state has recorded 49 new cases with three deaths within 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths in the third wave to 33.

    He said government is worried that many people are not interested in taking the vaccines and moving freely without adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

    “Government has reached a decision that unvaccinated persons will not access banks, worship and event centers, it will expire middle of this month.

    “So, teachers would not be allowed to enter schools’ premises because we don’t want our children to be infected.

    “Doctors, nurses and other health workers will not be allowed to attend to patients and likewise other civil servants and those coming to do business in government’s offices across the state”

    He further disclosed that about 93,000 persons have been vaccinated, representing two percent of the 4.6 million population of the state.

    “Our target is to move from two percent to 10 percent and 40 percent by year end. But our overall target is 60 percent translating to between 2.5 and 3 million population”

    He urged residents to take the vaccines and adhere to safety protocols, noting that it would save the government from unnecessary cost and reduced mortality associated with COVID-19.