Metro

Commuters Stranded As 15 Edo Communities, CSOs, Barricade Benin-Lagos Road Over Herdsmen Attacks

Published

4 years ago

April 20, 2022

Fifteen communities in Edo State in collaboration with the Civil Society Organizations, on Wednesday, barricaded the Lagos-Benin express road in protest over herdsmen activities which have resulted to killings, destructions of farm produce and forceful evictions from their ancestral homes.

The communities, namely, Odiguetue, Ofintebe, Igolo, Okokuo, Abumwenre I and II, Obarenren, Uhiere, Uyimo I and II.

The protest which lasted for several hours, led to severe gridlock on that axis.

Speaking on behalf of the communities and for the civil rights groups, Barr. Osagie Obayuwana, said, they are worried about the looming crisis brewing in the various communities in the state, orchastrated by armed herdsmen noting that urgent steps need to be put in place to checkmating them before snowballing into full blown crises in the state.

“We want the whole world to know the experience of our people have been for quite some time now.

“We are zeroing it on Ovia North East communities. About 15 communities have been under siege for some years. Farmers have been prevented from going to their farms, another planting season is going away, they have been sentenced to hunger, farmers and their families and this has an implication for the larger society.

“It is one of the reasons the price of food is rising beyond the reach of even those in the middle class.

“So far, we have not seen a serious efforts to address this issue. Our people have gone to various offices both the legislative arms and the legislative arms even traditional quarters and nothing seems to be coming out.

“Right now, the matter is degenerating to such an extent that people are being driven out of their villages.

“We are concerned that what had been happening in Benue and Plateau States will be coming to the shore of Edo State now where armed herdsmen drive people from communities, change the names of the communities and start to occupy the houses, we don’t want that”, he said.

For the former Public Relations Officer of Edo State Civil Society Organizations (EDOCSO), Osazee Edigin, he said the level of insecurity in Edo communities have gone from bad to worse and thus decided to join their voice with them to call on the governments to come to their rescue.

“We are here to support these communities that have been ravaged and sacked by herdsmen. We have seen it as a high level of insecurity in the state, and we want the state government and law enforcement agencies to rescue them.

“We are here to amplify the voices of these locals so that the state government should intervene in this. If we don’t do it, we are going to have scarcity of food and more victims.

“We urged the government to rise to the occasion and protect lives and property.

“The primary purpose of government is to protect lives and property, and if they fail in that area, then they are giving room for anarchy, and we don’t pray it results in a state of lawlessness.

“The government should step in. When there is no peace in the land, life will not flourish, and the economy will go down”, Edigin said.

Lamenting the atrocities of the herdsmen, Prince Aik-Ikhuokhuo Uwaifo from Uhiere community, said in the past, herdsmen and the people in his community were living harmoniously together so much so that they were even asking them (herdsmen) to give them their cows urine to grow their fingers while they will in turn give them foods.

He said the story has changed adding that nowadays, the herders move into their farms kill, rape, maim, destroy their crops and forcefully evicting them from their community.

Another protester, Mrs. Rhoda Ogba from Odigi community, said cows don’t eat grass anymore, but yam, cassava and Coco yam maintaining that they are now hungry as they can no longer go to their farms because of fear of being killed.

She said the federal and the state governments should come to their rescue.

The Edo State Commissioner of Police CP Abutu Yaro, represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, ACP, James Chu, while appealing to the protesters to be calmed, said the command share in their pains stressing that machineries have been put in place to curtail the excesses of armed herdsmen in the various communities in the state.

“The Commissioner of Police, we all know he is new, and he shares with you in this pain. We are all on the same page and all on the same reason to be here to talk to you.

“He has asked me to let you know that you know that he is a new person in Edo State. He has taken notes of all the incidence we have had in these various communities and other communities in Edo North.

“There are very critical strategies that are in place to ensure that the excesses of these men who are disturbing our villages are monitered and equally checked and stopped.

“I want to assure you that the police is not resting in this issue. I want to assure you that we are going to work in hands and gloves with the communities to ensure the essence of this gathering”, CP Yaro said.

Metro

Edo Police Arrest Two Suspected Cultists

Published

17 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Police Command on Wednesday said two suspected cultists were arrested in Ohonre community, off Adolor College Road, Benin.

This was disclosed in a statement by the command Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, and made available to newsmen electrically.

Ikoedem said the arrest was possible due to operatives response to a distress report concerning the movement and gathering of some suspected cult members within the community.

The statement reads: “The Edo State Police Command has recorded another operational breakthrough following the swift disruption of a suspected cultists’ gathering in Ohonre Community, off Adolor College Road, Benin City.

“On 21st May, 2026, at about 19:00hrs, operatives attached to Ugbowo Division who were on surveillance patrol responded to a distress report concerning the movement and gathering of some suspected cult members within the community.

“Acting promptly on the information, the police team mobilized to the location. On sighting the operatives, the suspects fled in an attempt to evade arrest. The operatives immediately gave them a hot chase, leading to the arrest of two suspects identified as Victor Peter ‘M’, 21 years and Iyemoma Ogbewe ‘M’, 35 years.

“A search conducted on the suspects led to the recovery of one cut-to-size gun believed to have been in their possession for unlawful purposes.

“Upon investigation, the suspects confessed to being members of the notorious Maphite cult group. Efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other fleeing gang members.”

She said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, commended the swift response of the operatives and reiterated the Command’s resolve to deny criminal elements any opportunity within Edo State.

He further urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to the Police, assuring that all reports would receive prompt attention.

Metro

Troops Eliminate Two Terrorists, Foil Pipeline Attack

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

The Nigerian Army says troops have, in the last 24 hours, eliminated two terrorists, rescued four kidnapped victims and foiled pipeline attacks in a series of coordinated military operations across Taraba, Kogi and Rivers.

This is contained in operational updates issued to reporters on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the reports, troops of 93 Battalion deployed at Akate in the Donga Local Government Area of Taraba engaged suspected terrorists in a forested area, killing two of them.

According to the report, items recovered from the scene include an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, magazines, mobile phones and other personal effects.

In Kogi, it said the troops of 21 Battalion, in collaboration with vigilantes, rescued four kidnapped passengers along the Anyigba–Itobe road in Ofu Local Government Area.

It added that the victims were reportedly abandoned by their captors while attempting to cross a seasonal stream due to sustained pressure from advancing troops.

According to the military, efforts are ongoing to rescue other victims still in captivity.

The report said that troops of 12 Brigade successfully repelled an ambush along Kabba–Okene road while withdrawing from an earlier operation, forcing the assailants to flee with gunshot wounds.

“Meanwhile, in Rivers, troops of 5 Battalion acting on credible intelligence, foiled an attempt by suspected vandals to detonate a crude oil pipeline in Ahoada West Local Government Area.

“The swift response of the troops disrupted the operation before it could be executed, with the suspects fleeing the scene,” it said.

Metro

Police Arrest Private Chef Over Alleged N150m Theft, Drugging Of Employer, Burglary

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a chef, John Cosmos Govi, over his alleged involvement in a burglary operation at a residence in Abuja, where luxury items and valuables worth about N150 million were reportedly stolen.

The arrest was announced on Monday, May 25, 2026, by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, who said the suspect was apprehended by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) after investigations into allegations of criminal conspiracy, housebreaking, theft, malicious damage and administering harmful substances.

According to police findings, Govi, who allegedly gained employment as a chef at the residence, was said to have studied the movement of occupants, internal routine and security setup before allegedly carrying out the operation on April 23, 2026.

Investigators said he reportedly worked with two accomplices identified as Peter and Moses, who are currently on the run.

Police alleged that food prepared in the house was laced with a suspected sedative substance to weaken the occupants and security personnel.

After they reportedly became unconscious, the suspects allegedly broke into the property, damaged CCTV installations and stole 20 luxury wristwatches valued at about N150 million, alongside other valuables.

Speaking on the development, DCP Anthony Placid said the suspect was intercepted around the Gwagwalada axis of the Federal Capital Territory while attempting to flee to Lagos. He added that an iPhone 17 Pro Max, believed to belong to the victim, and a suspected chemical substance were recovered.

“We remain committed to dismantling organised criminal networks and ensuring that all fleeing accomplices are brought to justice,” Placid said.

Police said efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and conclude investigations into the case.