Metro

Drivers, Commuters Decry Deplorable State Of Roads In Edo [PHOTOS]

Published

3 years ago

August 9, 2023

Drivers and commuters plying the ever busy Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi road have decried the deplorable state of the road.

The situation prompted the Edo State government to penultimate week mounted billboards pleading with residents and road users to bear with the state government.

Narrating his ordeal, Mr Anthony Isesele, a driver with one of the popular transport companies in Edo State, said the situation has become unbearable, as kidnappers and other criminal minded people have taken advantage of the state of the road to kidnap unsuspecting commuters.

He also said the cost of maintaining their vehicles has become a burden.

He said: “Edo State is a transit state that connects the south west to the south east and as well the south to the north.

“The government of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole expended about 16 billion naira to rehabilitate Federal Government roads in Edo State.

“Oshiomhole knows that the ultimate beneficiaries of the so called federal roads are Edo people, who also bear the blunt of state of the roads in Edo, both federal and state.

“Obaseki was reimbursed the N16 billion some months ago and he is telling us that we should bear with the Edo State Government, that the road belongs to the Federal Government.

“Has Obaseki fixed the state roads? Just go to the communities in Edo State and see the kind of roads that are there. I am coming from Auchi now, take your time and go to the villages in the three senatorial zones and see for yourself. Are you not a journalist? And in any case, why is the Edo State Government collecting taxes from vehicles plying these federal roads?”

“The situation is unbearable, as kidnappers and other criminal minded people take advantage of the state of the road to kidnap unsuspecting commuters. Again, the cost of maintaining our vehicles has become a burden.”

Also, Agnes Moses, a trader in Ekpoma, Edo State, said they were surprised to see the screaming billboards that tells you to “bear with the Edo State Government” over the deplorable state of the roads.

“I was surprised to wake-up last week to see this billboard in Ekpoma. The road has become impassable, how long are we supposed to bear with the state government?

“So the government cannot even apply palliatives measures to see that this place becomes motorable at all? This is part of the reason why food items are expensive, because aside the fuel subsidy removal, the bad state of the road also contributes to the high cost of food stuff in Edo and neighbouring states,” she said.

Metro

Ex-convict Arrested In Edo For Armed Robbery, Possession Of Firearm

Published

7 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) has arrested a 45-year-old ex-convict, Owen Osas, for alleged unlawful possession of firearms and suspected involvement in a robbery incident.

Osas was reportedly arrested with a cut-to-size single-barrel gun during a covert operation along Fishpond Road in Eyean, Uhunmwonde Local Government Area.

The arrest reportedly comes barely a year after he was released from prison, where he had served time for illegal possession of firearms and other criminal offences.

Osas, who confessed to the latest crime, also admitted to being a member of the Eiye Confraternity.

READ ALSO:Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo
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Consequently, a victim of an alleged robbery incident, Reginia Izy, identified Osas as the person who robbed her a day before his arrest.
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The victim narrated that the suspect had approached her residence around 8 p.m., pretending to be familiar before carrying out the attack.
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‎The Deputy Commander Operations of ESSC, Richard Balogun, said the arrest was part of intensified efforts to rid Edo State of criminal elements.

READ ALSO:Edo South Senatorial Seat: Nothing Wrong Seeking Wike’s Support – Ogbeide-Ihama
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‎Balogun explained that operatives conduct both overt patrols and covert operations to track and apprehend suspects.
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He said, ‎“Our men are always on patrol. Some operate in plain clothes as part of covert strategies, while others are stationed at strategic locations.

“Osas, who is a former convict, was arrested with firearms and he also confessed to be a member of the Eiye Confraternity.”
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Metro

Gunmen Kidnap Businessman In Ibadan

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 60-year-old man in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The victim was kidnapped on Saturday while on his way to his residence.

The incident occurred at Jinarere, Alakia in Ibadan.

Public Relations Officer of the State Police command, Olayinka Ayanlade, when contacted, confirmed the incident.

Ayanlade in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, explained that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victim.

Ayanlade said, “Preliminary information reveals that the victim, a 60-year-old male and building materials trader, was accosted while returning home along the Jinarere axis of Alakia Road by four masked armed men, who forcefully whisked him away in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla vehicle”.

Metro

Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

A 30-year-old entrepreneur and CEO of Principle Takeout, Justice Abu Oshioke, has been killed by suspected kidnappers in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

He was reportedly attacked by the suspected kidnappers on Saturday while on his way to pick up an order made for his child’s dedication on Sunday morning.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers attempted to force him into a nearby bush in a kidnapping attempt. However, he reportedly resisted and tried to escape.

In the course of the struggle, the assailants opened fire, shooting him multiple times.

Concerned residents quickly rushed him to a nearby medical facility, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.

The deceased was said to have recently gotten married and welcomed a baby boy.

The tragic event has turned a joyous occasion into a moment of grief for the family.

The shocking development has left the Ekpoma community in deep sorrow, with many residents expressing outrage over the growing insecurity in the area.

Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem confirmed the incident and said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika has ordered a “full-scale investigation and intensified manhunt for those responsible.”

According to her, the Police, in collaboration with the military, local vigilantes, and hunters, are actively pursuing the perpetrators through coordinated operations.