TheNewsGuru

Tag: Edo State

  • Popular Northern actress fumes over Uromi killings, calls for Justice

    Popular Northern actress fumes over Uromi killings, calls for Justice

    Popular Kannywood actress, Rahama Sadau, has condemned  in strong terms, the recent brutal killings of several northerners in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

    The Kannywood via the microblogging platform, X formerly Twitter, accused the Edo State authorities of failing to carry out due diligence in its investigation, adding that they could have intervened to stop the killings, before things got out of hands.

    She demanded justice for the victims, adding that the North would not forget the tragic incident.

    Speaking via her X handle, she wrote, “I am angry. I couldn’t bring myself to watch the full video of the massacre in Edo State… Allah ya isa!!! Allah ya isa!!! Allah ya isa!!! What have we become as humans, please? Wallahi, zuciyata zafi takeyi… Where were the authorities when that happened? I’m sure it took them time to carry out such a brutal act. Justice must be served!! #TheNorthRemembers.”

    Meanwhile, Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, ordered the immediate suspension of the Edo State Security Corps Commander, CP. Friday Ibadin (Rtd.), and all illegal vigilante groups operating in the state.

    This came after a preliminary report on the gruesome killing of travellers in Uromi on March 27, 2025.

    The Secretary to the State Government on Sunday, Umar Musa Ikhilor said that investigations into the killings are ongoing, and fourteen persons have been arrested so far.

    It added that a special team set up by the Inspector General of Police will continue to manhunt for others involved in the gruesome killing.

    Ikhilor stated that the government is also in touch with the families of the victims, community leaders, and the government of Kano State, where most of the deceased hail from, and assured that justice will be served.

  • Uromi killings: Kano Govt. deploys delegation to Edo

    Uromi killings: Kano Govt. deploys delegation to Edo

    The Kano State Government has dispatched a high-powered delegation to engage with the Edo Government and the Hausa community in Edo over the recent brutal killings of Kano indigenes in Edo.

    Gov. Abba Yusuf, who in a live broadcast, condemned the barbaric act and assured the people of Kano that his administration would relentlessly pursue justice for the victims.

    The delegation, scheduled to depart on Monday, “will work to ensure justice is served and those responsible are held accountable.”

    Yusuf also confirmed that all affected individuals would receive full compensation.

    According to him, Edo Governor has assured him that most of the suspected culprits have been apprehended, with investigations ongoing.

    He urged residents to remain law-abiding and refrain from any acts of retaliation, emphasising Kano’s reputation as one of the most peaceful states in the country.

    Expressing deep condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Kano state, Yusuf described the incident as a “tragic and sad moment.”

  • Police nab 14 over killing of travellers in Edo State

    Police nab 14 over killing of travellers in Edo State

    Police nab 14 over killing of travellers in Edo State grusomely murdered by a mob in the Uromi area of Edo State on the suspicion of being criminals.
    The travellers were said to be hunters.

    According to the Edo State Police Command, the victims were 16 in number. But the spokesman of the command Moses Yamu said some persons have been arrested in connection with the attack.

    “In the course of investigations, fourteen (14) suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime, while an emergency meeting was convened with stakeholders and members of the community to address the situation,” Yamu said in a statement on Friday.

    How Incident Happened

    Narrating how the incident happened, the Edo Police Command said it occurred when a “truck with registration number KKF 225 XA coming from Port Harcourt, conveying 25 travellers from Elele, a suburb of Rivers State, was accosted by some vigilante group members at Uromi, and some of the travelers who found in possession of locally made dane guns were arrested”.

    “While this was ongoing, some vigilante members raised an alarm of them being suspected kidnappers, which led some members and passersby in the community to attack and lynch sixteen (16) of the occupants while the truck conveying them was equally burnt.

    “Police operatives attached to the Uromi Division got wind of the incident and swiftly stormed the scene where ten (10) of the travelers were rescued, two of whom sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to a hospital where they are currently positively responding to treatment.”

    Yamu said a unit of Police Mobile Force personnel with other command tactical teams had been deployed to the area to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

    The police said “investigations continue” over the incident and cautioned “against any form of reprisal attacks”.

  • Angry Catholics protest against Kidnappings In Edo

    Angry Catholics protest against Kidnappings In Edo

    Members of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi in Edo State on Friday embarked on a peaceful protest against killing and kidnapping of their priests.

    This is against the backdrop of recent kidnapping of a priest in the diocese and killing of a seminarian.

    The protesters in their numbers, including priests, took to the streets of Auchi carrying placards with various inscriptions.

    Recall that a priest, Rev. Fr. Philip Ekweli and seminarian, Andrew Peter were recently kidnapped; while the priest was released after ransom was reportedly paid, the seminarian was killed by his abductors.

    Rev. Fr (Dr) Clement Anadevha, Director, Justice Development and Justice Commission (JDPC) who led the protesters demanded the “government to declare a state of emergency on security of lives and property.”

    Anadevha also led the protesters to the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Most Rev. Dr Gabriel Dunia where they also registered their displeasure over the attack on priests in the area.

    In his response, Dunia said he had made several efforts on security matters, wondering why priests and the churches are now victims of kidnapping.

    He called on the government to act, lamenting that farmlands have been occupied by bandits who now deprive farmers from going to the farm.

    The protesters also took their protest to the Etsako West Council secretariat to register their grievances.

    Addressing the protesters, the chairman of the local government, Mr Valentine Okwilagwe promised to take their request to the appropriate authority.

  • Deputy Senate President urges security agencies to fish out killers of Northern travellers in Edo

    Deputy Senate President urges security agencies to fish out killers of Northern travellers in Edo

    …sues for calm

    Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I Jibrin, has condemned the killing of Northern travellers in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, urging security agencies to immediately go after the perpetrators.

    A mob had intercepted the innocent victims, mostly Hausa hunters, who were on their way to Kano for Sallah celebrations, ransacked their vehicle and gruesomely murdered them.

    Describing the killings as barbaric, inhumane, and devilish, the Deputy Senate President appealed to the Edo State Police Command and other security agencies to take decisive action to bring the culprits to justice.

    Senator Barau, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Ismail Mudashir, called for calm, assuring that the perpetrators would not go unpunished.

    He disclosed his intention to sponsor a motion in the Senate to ensure that those responsible for the killings are held accountable.

    ” I have been inundated with calls by my constituents and other Nigerians on the horrific murder of innocent individuals in Edo State. I condemn in totality the barbaric killing of innocent Nigerians.

    ” I hereby appeal to our security agencies to quickly swing into action to arrest these evildoers and ensure that they are punished in line with the gravity of their criminal acts.

    “Nigeria is a diverse country. We should, therefore, embrace one another as brothers and sisters for our progress and development,” he said.

    Senator Barau offered prayers for the repose of the souls of the victims and urged their families to remain calm, assuring them that the government would ensure justice is served.

  • Binidodogha hands over Phase 1 ex-agitators leadership to Aroni Oputu

    Binidodogha hands over Phase 1 ex-agitators leadership to Aroni Oputu

    HRH Henry Binidodogha, the Ovuru 1 of Ofunama in Edo State, has given notice that he has exited his previous position as the President of the beneficiaries of the First Phase of the Presidential Amnesty Program(PAP) and handed over to Chief Aroni Oputu (aka Gen. Aroni).

    According to the royal father,  he has exited the First Phase of the Amnesty beneficiaries programme position, having spent the two-year statutory term. He disclosed that to ensure all is well and proper, he has handed over the reign of power to Delta State-born Chief Aroni Oputu.

    He said; “I wish to announce the latest development as regards my position as the President of the beneficiaries of the First Phase of the Presidential Amnesty Programme(PAP). I have handed over to a capable successor in Aroni Oputu of Delta State whom I am sure will keep the flag flying and carry everyone along as he administer the affairs of the group with zeal”. 

    “I want to seize this opportunity to call on the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), the management of the Presidential Amnesty Programme(PAP) and the others to give Oputu all the support he needs to get the programme going smoothly.

    “My prayers are for all and sundry to be success stories and also for a peaceful operations of the different organizations and the PAP beneficiaries to take us to the proverbial Promised Land of abundance(milk and honey).”

    Binidodogha appealed to all and sundry to avoid unnecessary rancour as this is the season when the blessings of the heavenly host should be showered on everyone that have laboured hard to ensure that the Niger Delta region becomes a showpiece to the other regions of the country.

  • Edo Police hunt for man for killing fiancee, daughter ahead wedding

    Edo Police hunt for man for killing fiancee, daughter ahead wedding

    The Police Command in Ed, has launched a manhunt for a suspect who is alleged to have killed his fiancée, known as Mama Hallelujah, and her three-year-old daughter, Miracle.

    CSP Moses Yamu, the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), announced this on Tuesday in Benin, via a statement.

    Yamu explained that the gruesome murder of the mother and child was discovered on March 18, by a concerned neighbour in Ovbiogoe Community, near Ekiadolor, Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.

    He said that the concerned neighbor had reported a foul smell coming from the victim’s residence on Idiangbona Street.

    ”Acting on the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ekiadolor, alongside operatives, forced their way into the apartment, which had been locked from the outside.

    ”Inside, they found the decomposing bodies of the woman and her child.

    “The woman had a deep cut on her head, suspected to be from a machete, while the child was lifeless on the bed,” Yamu explained.

    According to him, preliminary investigations implicated the suspect, who has been missing since the discovery.

    ”The couple have been preparing for their wedding, scheduled for March 29 before the tragic incident.

    “All evidence so far points to the fiancé, who has since gone underground. The police are leaving no stone unturned in ensuring his arrest,” CSP Yamu stated.

    He assured the public that the command was fully committed to bringing the suspect to justice, urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact the nearest police station.

    “We appeal to members of the public to assist with credible information that can lead to his apprehension. Justice must be served for the victims,” he said.

    He added that the police had intensified investigations, while the bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the mortuary for further examination.

  • Student loan: NELFUND distributes N35bn – MD

    Student loan: NELFUND distributes N35bn – MD

    The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) says it has so far disbursed N35 billion to 261,000 students in the country.

    The Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyer stated this at a sensitisation programme for Edo students in Edo State University, Iyamoh, Edo, on Thursday.

    The programme is in conjunction with the Edo State Ministry of Education.

    “So far in Nigeria, we have disbursed over N22 billion in institutional fees, that is, money paid to institutions.

    “We have disbursed about N11 billion in upkeep that goes up every month.

    “So far, we have disbursed about N35billion in total. We have received about 520,000 registrations and about 419,000 applications.

    “We have processed and paid 261,000 students, both upkeep and institutional fees,” Sawyer said.

    The NELFUND boss said that the organisation was fully funded to cater for Nigerian students, as long as they were eligible students of any institution in the country.

    “So far, we are very well funded, the political will demonstrated by President Bola Tinubu to allow us access funds outside the statutory allocation is well commended.

    “The law provide for us to raise funds from non governmental quarters and I think, it’s fair to say many Nigerians are helping students with their school fees.

    “And some of these NGOs are now injecting their funds into NELFUND for us to be able to deploy accordingly.

    “Many people want to give to this country but they don’t have a vehicle through which to do that.

    “NELFUND has become a channel for giving and I believe if we put the right structures in place, as long as it seems to be honest and we are honest and transparent about how to deploy the funds,” he said.

    The Edo Commissioner for Education, Dr. Emmanuel Paddy however, expressed displeasure over the low number of Edo students applying for the loan.

    “The number of students who have benefited is relatively low,” he said.

    The commissioner urged students of the state to take advantage of the programme so as to benefit from the loan scheme.

    “We have cause to be worried, that is why we are having this sensitisation programme so that we can bring our people up to speed for them to benefit from the programme,

    “It is highly laudable and it is going to be highly beneficial to them” Iyamu said.

    Earlier, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Dawood Egbefo, said 51 students of the university had benefited from the federal government students’ loan.

    “It will interest you to know that since subscribing to the NELFUND programme, the sum of N61.4 million have been disbursed with 51 students as beneficiaries.

    “Today’s sensitisation programme serves as an opportunity for us to explore how NELFUND can continue to serve as a beacon of hope for students in Edo.

    “I encourage all participants to take full advantage of this platform so that you can maximise the benefits of the funds,” Egbefo said.

    The acting VC thanked President Tinubu for the support, growth and advancement of education in Nigeria.

    “I would like to express our deep gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his leadership and unwavering support for the growth of education in Nigeria.

    “His vision for a more prosperous and well educated nation inspires us all,” he said.

  • To be a leader you must create meaningful change – Gov. Okpebholo

    To be a leader you must create meaningful change – Gov. Okpebholo

    Gov. Monday Okpebholo of Edo has stated that the essence of leadership does not reside in the retention of power, but rather in the capacity to effect meaningful change and impact upon the lives of individuals.

    Okpebholo stated this while delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Youth Leadership Clinic on Wednesday in Benin City.

    The clinic was organised for secondary school students by the University of Abuja in collaboration with Tetfund’s Centre of Excellence in Public Governance and Leadership.

    The governor, who was represented by Mrs Joy Adesina, SAN, and student of Public Governance and Leadership, Abuja Leadership Centre, said poor leadership had been a major setback to Nigeria’s progress.

    Okpebholo urged the students to always agitate for visionary and impactful leaders.

    In the keynote address titled: “Shaping the Future: The Importance of Leadership in Edo State Youth Development”, Okpebholo challenged students to embrace leadership with courage, vision, empathy, and integrity.

    “Leaders must be very courageous and have vision; they must display empathy and integrity.

    “Discover your strength, set levels, step up, take action, speak out, be the leader that Edo state needs,” the governor urged the students.

    Earlier, Prof. Philip Afaha, Team Lead and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, University of Abuja, noted that leadership training should start early and not when individuals assumed positions of power.

    According to him, the university observed the “abnormal” lapses, hence reason it commissioned men to catch leaders of tomorrow young from secondary schools.

    The deputy vice-chancellor announced that outstanding students from the clinic would be awarded scholarships.

    Prof. Gabriel Moti, Director, Abuja Leadership Centre, stressed the need to “catch them young” in leadership development.

    Moti regretted how leadership had been an issue in the country for a very long time.

    On his part, Dr Paddy Iyamu, Commissioner for Education in the state, lauded the initiative, pledging the state’s support for future training programmes.

  • LP youths call for Edo senator’s suspension over Natasha’s case

    LP youths call for Edo senator’s suspension over Natasha’s case

    Labour Party (LP) National Youth Leader, Kennedy Ahanotu, has called for the suspension of Neda Imasuen, the Labour Party Senator representing Edo South in the Senate for his mishandling of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s case.

    Ahanotu stated at a press conference on Tuesday at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja “It’s no longer news that one non-compliant Labour Party, Senator Neda Imasuen, representing Edo South Senatorial District, was used as a willing tool to perpetuate what has been widely described as injustice and the humiliation of a Youthful voice in the Senate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan without proper investigation.

    “We, the Nigerian youths, have, in clear terms, condemned such rascality perpetrated by the Ethics and Privilege committee led by Neda Imasuen in clear violation of an order of the court.

    “It’s clear to the Nigerian youths that an investigative panel, which was set for 11th March 2025, was mysteriously rescheduled to hold on 5th March 2025. Our question remains, “What is the haste for?

    “Given such a hasty decision to suspend Natasha, Senator Neda Imasuen and his subsequent posturing afterward has no doubt left everyone in shock about his possible dislike for the womenfolk, a character which may be construed as being a misogynist.

    “To the best of our knowledge, the Labour Party is a party for social democrats with tremendous respect for the female gender and the youth alike. It also believes so much in the principles of fair hearing, rule of law, and gender parity.”

    According to Ahanotu, the 10th Senate’s rapid response in this instance contrasts sharply with its usual sluggishness on issues impacting everyday Nigerians.

    He stressed that the situation in the National Assembly is not confined to ethnic, religious, or political divisions, as Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension results in the collective disenfranchisement of her constituents.

    The youth leader went further to state, “We, therefore, make the following demands: The 10th Senate should immediately rescind the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and reconstitute a morally and mentally balanced committee to do proper investigative hearing of the matter to salvage the already tainted image of the 10th Senate. We demand that Senator Neda Imasuen be recused from the reconstituted Committee.

    “The Nigerians Youths are, by this statement, calling on the people of Edo South to immediately commence a recall process for Senator Neda Imasuen for his poor representation and conduct at the Senate.

    “On the matter concerning the distinguished Senator Natasha, it has been observed that Senator Imasuen has not satisfactorily applied internationally accepted principles of fair hearing in making recommendations which led to the controversial suspension of distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    “We urge President Bola Tinubu to save the face of Nigeria in the Committee of Nations by speaking up against the humiliation suffered by the female gender in Nigerian politics, which his wife, as a serving Senator in the 9th Assembly, also faced.

    “Mr President must ensure that his government works to preserve the democratic principles of fairness and rule of law.

    “Nigerian youths are also demanding that the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, must present himself for investigation by an unbiased arm of government.

    “He cannot continue to use his privileged position to frustrate the call for justice by the victim, Senator Natasha. A situation where one man will be a judge in his matter, like Senator Akpabio did, must be denounced and condemned”.