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Tag: ekiti

  • PDP releases timetable for Ekiti governorship poll

    PDP releases timetable for Ekiti governorship poll

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has released its timetable and schedule of activities in early preparation for the June 18, 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State.

    PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said sales of expression of interest and nomination forms would commence on September 13 and end on September 30.

    Ologbondiyan noted that the party’s National Working Committee fixed the screening of aspirants for October 11, while appeals on the screening exercise are scheduled for October 25.

    “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has released its timetable and schedule of activities in early preparation for the June 18, 2022 Ekiti Governorship Election,” the statement partly read.

    “In line with the timetable, the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the Sales of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms from Monday, September 13 to Thursday, September 30, 2021, with Tuesday, October 5, 2021 as the last date for the submission of forms.”

    The PDP spokesman stated that the party’s congresses to elect the 3-man Adhoc Ward delegates have been scheduled to hold from January 7 to January 8, 2022, adding that the local government congresses to elect national delegates will take place on January 15, 2022.

  • JUST IN: Ex-Military Gov, Administrator of Oyo, Ekiti States, Gen Adetunji Olurin is dead

    JUST IN: Ex-Military Gov, Administrator of Oyo, Ekiti States, Gen Adetunji Olurin is dead

    The former military governor and administrator of Oyo and Ekiti States, General Adetunji Idowu Olurin is reportedly dead at 76.

    The septuagenarian, born on December 3, 1944, was an indigene of Ilaro, in Ogun State.

    A family source who does not want his name mentioned said Olurin died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) early Saturday morning.

    Details about his death were still sketchy at the time of filing this report.

    Olurin had his primary education at Christ Church School, Ilaro from 1951 -54; St. Paul’s School, Odo-Ona, Ibadan, 1955-57 and Local Government Authority Modern School, 1958.

    He also attended Egbado College, Ilaro, 1959-64, Technical College (now The Polytechnic), Ibadan, 1966.

    Olurin, a former governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Ogun State, attended the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, 1967-70; School of Infantry, Quetta, Pakistan,1973; Army Command and Staff College, Jaji, 1977-78.

    He was also at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, 1989. He was appointed Battalion Commander, 1970-71; Brigade Major 1972-74; Instructor, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, 1974; Defence Adviser, Nigerian High Commission India, 1975-77.

    Olurin was General Staff Officer I, Operations, Army Headquarters, Lagos, 1980-82; Colonel General Staff, Nigerian School of Infantry, 1982; Deputy Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, 1983-84; Commander, I Mechanised Infantry Brigade, 1984-85; appointed Military Governor, OyoState, 1985- 88; Director of Logistics, Nigerian Army Headquarters, Lagos, August 1988 – January 1989; Passed StaffCollege (PSC), 1978; National Decoration: Forces Service Star (1155); Foreign Decoration: United Nations Peace Medal (UNIFIL), 1979.

    He was married to Kehinde Oyeleye in 1975, with two sons.

  • COVID-19: Ekiti reintroduces restrictions, bans large gatherings, vehicles’ overloading

    COVID-19: Ekiti reintroduces restrictions, bans large gatherings, vehicles’ overloading

    The Ekiti Government on Tuesday announced new measures to contain the increasing cases of the COVID-19 pandemic across all the 16 local governments areas of the state.
    The new directive marks the third time the state government would be imposing such restrictions between 2020 and August, 2021.
    The restrictions, had in the past paralysed businesses and lowering social activities in government offices.
    Governor Kayode Fayemi, who made announcement after an emergency briefing, anchored on his behalf by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani in Ado-Ekiti, expressed concerns over the increasing cases of third wave of the pandemic in the state.
    Justifying the state government latest action, Fayemi said that 180 cases were recorded from July to the last few days in August alone.
    He explained that, as a way of curtailing the third wave, restrictions had been re-imposed on social, religious and political gatherings across the state and directed transporters to reduce the number of their passengers by half.
    Fayemi said that all efforts must be geared toward stopping the further spread of the deadly variant in the state.
    According to him, the state recorded 95 cases in July, and a frighteningly 85 cases in the last few days in the month of August.
    He said, “We are constrained to respond to this development with the following non-pharmaceutical control measures which remain our best means of containing the pandemic in the state.”
    Fayemi said that the patients were stable across the isolations centres in the state, advising residents to go about their businesses with strict adherence to the safety protocol.
    The governor said: “We must never trivialise the danger that COVID-19 continues to pose to us. We must ensure we do not have a reversal of fortune.
    “We cannot afford a community infection that could easily overwhelm our capacity and return us to another round of stay-at-home with even more stringent measures.
    “it is my duty to inform you that Ekiti State is experiencing an unwelcome increase in the number of COVID-19 confirmed positive cases.
    “In the month of July, we recorded 95 cases, and we have now recorded 85 cases in the first week of August, meaning 85 cases in just six days.
    “We are obviously experiencing the third wave with more cases than we experienced in the second wave in March, 2021.
    “Besides, with the introduction of the Delta strain of the COVID-19 virus in the country and the recent evidence of its community transmission as reported by NCDC, it is imperative for us as a state, to enforce our existing COVID-19 regulations more strictly to safeguard the health of our people.”
    He directed that public gatherings, especially social, political and business in the state should be restricted to only 50 people with social distancing of six feet and mandatory use of face masks.
    On religious centres, Fayemi said: “Our religious gatherings in the state would be with temporary restrictions, starting from Friday, Aug. 13, 2021 for Muslims and Sunday Aug. 15, 2021 for Christians.
    “All gatherings must be held in strict and full compliance with the regulations regarding worship centres, which include social distancing of six feet between worshippers, handwashing and wearing of face masks.”
    He maintained that officials of the state government would be out to monitor the level of compliance, saying that defaulters would be punished in accordance with the law.
    Fayemi, who disclosed that the state was expecting about 95,000 doses of Moderna vaccine in addition to the earlier AstraZeneca vaccine received, called on residents to make themselves available for the second phase of the vaccination.
    “Evidence has shown that fully vaccinated individuals are protected from severe COVID-19 infection and death.
    “Vaccines have been confirmed to be safe and 70,049 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in the state without any side effect.
    “As we await the second phase of the vaccination, I encourage all eligible citizens to take their jabs as soon as the vaccines are available,” the governor said.
  • BREAKING: 19-year-old boy sentenced to life imprisonment for attempted robbery in Ekiti

    BREAKING: 19-year-old boy sentenced to life imprisonment for attempted robbery in Ekiti

    An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, sentenced one Ademola Oluwaseun,19, to life imprisonment for attempted armed robbery

     

    In his judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said, although the convict was charged for offence of armed robbery, but evidence before the court only established offence of attempted armed robbery against him.

     

    Ogunmoye said there was no evidence that he succeeded in stealing anything from his victim when he was caught.

     

    The judge, however, said that the sole issue for determination had been resolved partly in favour of the prosecution.

     

    “I reiterate that the defendant is convicted for the offence of attempted armed robbery. He is sentenced to life imprisonment,” the judge said.

     

    The Prosecutor, Dolapo Oyewole, told the court the convict committed offence on May 6, 2017 in Idolofin area of Ado Ekiti.

     

    Oyewole said the convict, armed with gun, robbed one Arowolo Suleiman of his Bajaj motorcycle with registration number (OGUN) LAR 223 VC.

     

    According to him, Suleiman is a commercial motorcyclist in Ado-Ekiti.

     

    The prosecutor called three witnesses and also tendered the motorcycle as exhibits

     

    He said the offence contravened Section 402(2) of the Criminal, CAP. C16, Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012.

     

    Suleiman, while narrating his ordeal, told the court he conveyed Oluwaseun and one other now at large from Oke-Ila to Idolofin in Ado-Ekiti about 6:30 a.m.

     

    Suleiman said on getting there, one of them pointed gun at him and commanded to lay face down inside a drainage.

     

    The victim said before the convict could escaped with the motorcycle, he stood up and pushed them down from his motorcycle.

     

    He said his shout for help attracted neighbours, who chased Oluwaseun and the other now at large, that led to the arrest of Oluwaseun while his accomplice escaped.

  • Gunmen ambush vehicle in Ekiti, shoot driver dead, abduct others

    Gunmen ambush vehicle in Ekiti, shoot driver dead, abduct others

    Police in Ekiti State on Saturday confirmed a gun attack on travellers in the state on Friday night.

    Police spokesman, ASP Sunday Abutu said the gunmen shot the driver of the vehicle, a LEXUS 330 SUV, dead.

    They took the two other occupants of the vehicle away, he added.

    The attack took place between Ewu-Ekiti and Aiyetoro-Ekiti, neighbouring communities in Ilejemeje and Ido/Osi Local Government Areas of Ekiti State.

    ASP Abutu said police, in conjunction with local hunters and operatives of Amotekun Corps, were already combing the forest around the area to rescue the victims and arrest the gunmen.

    Eyewitnesses said there were five occupants in the vehicle and they were attacked by suspected herdsmen while returning from a social function in the area.

    The eyewitnesses also confirmed that the driver was shot dead and the other occupants of the vehicle were abducted.

    The vehicle, with registration number LAGOS KRD 264 GV, was left at the scene facing the bush with only the dead inside it.

    The identities of the victims had not been ascertained at the time of filing this report.

    Friday’s incident occurred four days after gunmen also suspected to be herdsmen shot and killed a man named Ademola Afolayan on a poultry farm in Ikere-Ekiti on Monday, Aug. 2 at about 5 p.m.

    Sources said the gunmen, numbering about five, invaded the poultry farm located at Eselemo Farm, Igbo-Oka area close to Akure Road, shooting sporadically and in the process, killed Afolayan.

    Two persons were said to have narrowly escaped the Monday incident.

    Also former Ekiti State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Comrade Clement Adekola, escaped death by the whiskers when his vehicle was attacked on Tuesday, Aug. 3, also at about 5 p.m.

    The gunmen opened fire on Adekola’s vehicle as he was traveling along Ikere-Igbara Odo Road, in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

    Recently, kidnappers allegedly abducted some travellers in three commercial buses on Akure/Ikere-Ado Ekiti road in Ekiti State.

    It was gathered that the kidnapping gunmen swooped on the travellers’ vehicles while navigating through the bad portions of the road.

    It was gathered one of the drivers narrowly escaped the incident that took place between Iju community in Ondo State and Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State.

    An eyewitness said that the vehicles were left in the middle of the road, a situation that attracted members of the public who raised the alarm.

  • 2 Ekiti athletes qualify for World Junior Athletics competition

    2 Ekiti athletes qualify for World Junior Athletics competition

    The duo of Fakorede Adekalu and Bamidele Ajayi from Ekiti are now set to contend with younger athletes from across the world.

    This followed the two Ekiti born runners qualification for the World Junior Under 20 Athletics Championship in Kenya.

    The Secretary, Ekiti Athletics Association, Olumide Bamidele, disclosed this on Wednesday in an interview with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti.

    According to Bamidele, Adekalu clocked a time of 10:26 seconds in 100 metres and 20:98 seconds in 200 metres at Olympics trials at Yaba Tech in Lagos to book a place in the world championship.

    He added that Ajayi clocked 46:20 seconds in 400 metres at a Championship in Akure, Ondo State capital to qualify for same event.

    The Ekiti athletics secretary also said that the World Junior Under 20 Athletics Championship would hold in Nairobi, Kenya between Aug. 17 and Aug., 22.

  • Shock, disbelief greet Rachael Oniga’s death in Ekiti

    Shock, disbelief greet Rachael Oniga’s death in Ekiti

    Cross section of lovers of both Yoruba and diverse language movies in Ekiti have described the sudden death of a popular actress, Rachael Oniga, on Saturday at 64 years, as shocking and devastating.

    They spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, in separate interviews on Saturday.

    Mrs Mopelola Akanni, a retired School Mistress, said she sobbed, on hearing about the sad news.

    Akanni said Oniga and few others in her rank endeared her family to films for many years by virtue of her unrivaled acting prowess.

    She said the vacuum left by the late actress would be difficult to fill, considering her huge and steady contributions to the industry.

    Also, Mr Lekan Oludayo, a public servant, who also described her death as unbelievable, said he took interest in Oniga whenever she featured in movies.
    Oludayo said this was because she combined beauty with talent to thrill her viewers at any given opportunity.

    He described her as both glamorous and creative, saying that watching her in films usually brought her comical reliefs.

    He wondered how Oniga, born of Urhobo parents, always found it easy and comfortable playing critical roles in movies, with good command of the Yoruba Language and idioms, adding that her type were not many in the industry.

    “You hardly can know she was Urhobo and not Yoruba. It was after many years that I later got to know that she was born Urhobo, but her parents are reportedly from Eku in Delta State. She was born in Lagos State and lived all her life there.

    “She could even be rightly mistaken for a Yoruba woman as she acted in close to 100 Yoruba movies, at the last count, in her career life.

    “My concern, however, is that she did not do much for her Urhobo race as I am not too sure she ever considered extending the frontiers of her rich entertainment to boost Urhobo image, as done for the Yoruba.

    “No doubt, she was one of the best actresses in the industry,” he said.

    Also reacting, a businesswoman, Mrs Tejumola Ajayi, said the late actress was a role model, and that she got attracted to Oniga on the basis of her decent lifestyle, devoid of waywardness common in the industry.

    Commenting, a university student, Omolola Joseph, called for prayers by the practitioners in the industry and their fans, saying that this year had seen a serious loss of great people among them

  • Rape accusation against gov wife’s security detail under probe –Ekiti

    Rape accusation against gov wife’s security detail under probe –Ekiti

    The Ekiti State Government, on Tuesday, promised to cooperate with the Federal Capital Territory Police Command in the investigation of a security official attached to the wife of the governor, who was accused of raping a lady.

    The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Olawale Fapohunda, said this in a statement.

    The statement read in part, “The attention of the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice has been drawn to a complaint of rape against a security official deployed in the state Government House and attached to the convoy of the wife of the governor. The incident is alleged to have taken place on Monday, July 5, 2021, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

    “The case is now being handled by the Criminal Investigation Department, FCT Command of the Nigeria Police Force. The state government will cooperate fully with the police investigation team to ensure that the matter is investigated thoroughly.

    “The victim is receiving extensive psycho-social and legal support to cope with the trauma and seek justice, and her identity is being protected.”

    The commissioner lamented the high rate of sexual abuse in the state, saying the 121 rape cases being prosecuted across the state at present were worrisome.

    He said the number was “particularly disturbing considering that this statistic only relates to victims or their relatives, who are willing to support the ministry in the prosecution of these cases.”

    Fapohunda, in the statement titled: ‘Additional measures to curb sexual violence in Ekiti State’, said the figure would be more alarming if unwilling victims were added to it.

    To redress this, the attorney-general said additional measures taken by the government to curb sexual violence included a bill criminalising attempt to hinder prosecution of rape cases and legal protection of gender-based violence whistleblowers as encouragement for citizens to speak up and speak out on sexual violence in the state.

    He said the ‘Hindering Prosecution Bill’ before the state House of Assembly made it a criminal offence “for any person to seek to hinder or unlawfully influence the office of the attorney-general to discontinue certain criminal matters, including rape, sexual assault and child defilement and prescribed five years’ imprisonment on conviction.”

    Fapohunda, who spoke on plan to confiscate private accommodation, hotel accommodation and related places used for the rape of minor, said, “The Ministry of Justice is currently working on a legislative proposal that will allow the government to revoke the Certificates of Occupancy of such properties with a view to converting them to rehabilitation centres for ex-convicts.

    The commissioner added that the ministry would continue to aggressively pursue Governor Kayode Fayemi administration’s zero tolerance for all forms of sexual violence.

     

  • Gunmen abduct four farmers in Ekiti, demand N50m

    Gunmen abduct four farmers in Ekiti, demand N50m

    Gunmen who kidnapped four farmers in Ikosu Farm Settlement in Ikosu-Ekiti, Moba Local Government area, have demanded N50 million ransom.

    The farmers were kidnapped on Monday evening.

    Although the Police Command in the state confirmed the kidnapping, it denied knowledge of the N50 million ransom.

    But Olawumi Ayodeji, manager of the farm, told newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, that the abductors had made calls, demanding for N50 million.

    ASP. Sunday Abutu, the Police Public Relations Officer, said the command had deployed policemen to comb the forest region surrounding Ikosun-Ekiti up to the Kwara border.

    “We are not aware of any ransom being demanded from the family, rather, our men are in the bush working hard to rescue the farmers.

    “We are working, in conjunction with the Amotekun Corps and local hunters.

    “We believe that with the level of security measures we have put in place, we are sure that we will rescue them, and probably get the perpetrators of this dastardly act,” he said.

    The latest kidnapping incident comes barely a week after a traditional ruler, Oba Benjamin Osho, the Eleda of Eda Ile, in Ekiti East Local Government Area, was kidnapped.

    His captors want N20 million ransom.

  • Armed robbers attack bank in Ekiti, kill police officer

    Armed robbers attack bank in Ekiti, kill police officer

    Armed robbers have attacked a commercial bank in Otun Ekiti in Moba local government area.

    Police Public Relations Officer in Ekiti State, Sunday Abutu confirmed that a police officer was killed in the robbery attack which took place on Thursday at about five in the evening.

    Abutu explained that the group of armed men stormed the Otun bank and initially succeeded in breaking the bank security door before their mission was thwarted by the swift arrival of a combined team of police, military, and local security outfits.

    He said an attempt to escape by the criminal elements triggered a shoot out which claimed the life of the officer while the robbers had to desperately escape via some routes on foot.

    The police spokesman assured that perpetrators of the crime will be tracked and arrested, calling on Ekiti residents not to panic.