News

Edo 2020: PDP Accuses APC Of Shooting Its Members In Agbede

Published

5 years ago

August 30, 2020

‘Your Candidate Shielding Thugs’, APC Replies

The allegations and counter allegations between the APC and the PDP in preparation for the governorship election in Edo State continued on Sunday as the latter disclosed that gun shooting that occurred on Thursday last week in Agbede, Etsako West Local Government Area was perpetrated by thugs from the APC.

The party further disclosed that another shooting in Ekpe, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, was also carried out by masked APC thugs.

Mr. Chris Nehikhare, state publicity secretary of the party in a press briefing noted that two persons have been arrested by the police regarding Agbede attack and that they have made confessional statement that they were sent by the APC.

On Ekpe attacked, when asked how he got to know the perpetrators who he claimed were masked were APC members, Nehikhare noted that they (thugs) came out from the last vehicle of the convoy of the APC candidate and started shooting at their party members who were in a gathering.

“Not sooner than they finish from Agbede, they also went to ward 3, Ekpe in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, where our people also gathered. They broke in, and this time, most of them were masked. Actually, it was the last vehicle in the convoy of the APC candidate that they jumped down from and started shooting,” he said.

Nehikhare continues on Agbede, “In Agbade on Thursday, which happens to be the community of the deputy governorship candidate of the APC, our people in one of the residence of our leaders, were attacked viciously alongside our leader right in his compound.

“Eleven armed men broke in and started shooting sporadically into this place, destroying vehicles and wounding about 10 people that were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

“I want to also report that the DPO in that neighborhood has confirmed that at least two persons have been arrested as regards the incident.

“And you notice during the week, we did not make noise about it; we did not run to the press to start writing frivolous accusations against APC.

“We let the police do the investigation; we let the police do their work, and the report they gave back to us was that, at least two persons have been arrested and they have made confessional statement that they were sent by the APC leadership to cause mayhem.”

The Publicity Secretary further accused the APC of using tactics of violence and mayhem to make sure the election is postponed, adding that his party wants the election to hold.

However, in a shift reaction, Chairman, APC Media Campaign Council in the state, Mr. John Makayi refuted the allegations, alleging that Governor Obaseki has been shielding his aides from investigation after they were allegedly mentioned by some arrested suspects as their direct contact in the State Government by securing a court order precluding them from arrest and prosecution.

Mayaki’s reaction reads, “We have filed video evidence of some of the violent attacks staged by known and identified thugs of Governor Godwin Obaseki and the world bore witnesses to others as they took place on live television. One of such is the attack on the Edo Assembly Complex, in which Governor Godwin Obaseki and his Deputy, Mr. Philip Shaibu, led thugs and other supporters to loot, vandalize, and remove the roof of the Complex in broad daylight.

“At least seven of those thugs were arrested on that day by the Police with dangerous firearms and it took sustained pressure from us for them to be charged to court because the Governor, not wanting to be exposed, tried to intimidate the Police into releasing the suspects.

“Perhaps the greatest reveal of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s direct involvement in the violent attacks and sponsorship of thugs in Edo is the court order he hurriedly obtained to shield his aides, Mr. Kabiru Adjoto and Mr. Osaigbovo Iyoha, from investigation after they were named by the arrested seven thugs as their direct contact and mobilizers in the Edo Government House.

“The whole world has listened to Governor Godwin Obaseki boast of the immunity he enjoys alongside his Deputy, and his irresponsible charge to his supporters and thugs to go on a rampage because ‘they are in government’.

“We have video evidence of the attacks on our supporters at Ososo, Apana, Ekpedo, Jattu, and other LGs by thugs transported in the Deputy Governor’s convoy. We equally raised alarm on the unfortunate shooting of an innocent bystander in Igueben LGA by thugs ferried into the state by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to support the PDP’s plot to shoot its way to a contrived victory at the polls.

“Our appeal to the Police to ensure the investigation of all our petitions, beginning with the seven arrested with firearms, so the truth of Governor Obaseki’s sponsorship of violence through criminal means can be established and made known to the public.”

Up Next

Attack On Captain Hosa’s Personality: Group Blows Hot, Vows To Resist Further Attack

Don't Miss

Edo 2020: INEC Chairman Urges Staff To Be Neutral

Comments

News

Hope Rises As Ijaw Nation Wades Into Okomu Crisis

Published

7 hours ago

June 13, 2025

Editor

Photo: File copy

There seems to be solution at sight to the crisis bedeviling Okomu community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State following the setting up of Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee by prominent Ijaw monarchs drawn from Edo, Ondo, Delta and Bayelsa states.

The setting up of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee by the Ijaw kings followed a request by His Royal Majesty, Pius Yanbor, the Pere (king) of Okomu Kingdom to his Ijaw brothers peres (king), appealing to them to intervene in the crisis that had led to the burning of houses and loss of lives.

Worried by the crisis and the consequent appeal by HRM Pius Yanbor, the Ijaw peres (kings), namely, HRM, Oboro Gbaraun II, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State; HRM, Zacheus Egbunu, the Agadagba of Arogbo Kingdom, Ondo State; HRM, Capt. Frank Okiakpe, the Pere of Gbaraun Kingdom, Bayelsa State; HRM, Joel Ibane, the Pere of Iduwini Kingdom, Delta State; HRM, Godwin Ogunoyibo, the Pere of Olodiama Kingdom, Edo State; HRM, Eseimokumor Ogonikara I, the Pere of Tubutoru Kingdom, Ondo State; HRM, Roman Bohan, the Pere of Furupagha Kingdom, Edo State, and HRM Stephen Ebikeme, the Pere of Oporomor Kingdom, Bayelsa State, in an acceptance memo of the Okomu king’s request which was made available to INFO DAILY stated: “We, the undersigned traditional rulers of Ijaw extraction, have unanimously aligned in agreement to take a deep dive into the crisis that has been rocking and bedeviling Okomu Kingdom for the past three years, with a view to providing respite and bringing lasting peace to the aforementioned kingdom.”

They continued: “This alignment however, is a fallout of a series of robust engagement amongst well-meaning and revered monarchs of Ijaw extraction, whose primary role in their various Kingdoms is to foster peace and unity.”

The Ijaw monarchs, thereafter, appointed Chief Sunday as the Chairman of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, High Chief Pascal Akpofagha as the General Secretary and 16 other notable Ijaw sons from various kingdoms as members.

The 18-member committee is saddled with the responsibility of interfacing with the warring parties in the kingdom with a view to restoring lasting peace to the kingdom.

The revered Ijaw monarchs further expressed their commitment to providing the necessary support and work with the committee within the ambit of the law in order to ensure peace and harmony return to Okomu Kingdom.

News

UN Flags 138 Million Kids In Global Child Labour Crisis

Published

10 hours ago

June 12, 2025

Editor

Ahead of World Day Against Child Labour, a report released on Wednesday by the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Children’s Fund has shown that nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labour in 2024.

The figure included 54 million engaged in hazardous work that endangered their health, safety, and development.

“Today, nearly 138 million children are in child labour worldwide, down from 160 million four years ago.

“There are over 100 million fewer children in child labour today than in 2000, even as the child population increased by 230 million over the same period,” the report stated

World Day Against Child Labour is marked on June 12 every year and International Day of Play is marked on June 11.

The report revealed that while child labour had declined by more than 20 million since 2020, the world had missed its target of ending child labour by 2025.

It noted that since 2000, child labour had almost halved, yet current rates remained too slow.

To end child labour within the next five years, the report said the current rates of progress would need to be 11 times faster.

“While the elimination of child labour remains an unfinished task, there is some welcome news.

“After a concerning rise in child labour captured by the global estimates for 2020, a feared further deterioration in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has not materialised, and the world has succeeded in returning to a path of progress.

“This success can be attributed to some well-known policy imperatives that, if sustained and scaled-up, could bring about an end to child labour,” the report stated.

It highlighted that the policies included ensuring free and high-quality schooling to provide a worthwhile alternative to child labour and help ensure successful transitions from school to decent work.

Others were equipping education systems to support the school-to-work transition, particularly for older adolescents who face heightened occupational safety and health risks in the labour market; strengthening legal protections against child labour, aligned with international standards to lay the groundwork for effective prevention and enforcement, among others.

The report also said targeted policies to end child labour must go hand in hand with broader development strategies.

“And to be fully effective, child labour concerns must be systematically mainstreamed into economic and social policy planning – from macroeconomic frameworks to labour market reforms and sectoral strategies.

“The latest estimates underscore the magnitude of the challenge of ending child labour. They also point to progress, and in doing so, affirm the possibilities.

“We have the blueprint for success – the right policies, adequate resources and unwavering commitment. Now is the time to act to free future generations from child labour,” it added.

News

Journalists’ Cooperative Society Announces Formal Take-off

Published

11 hours ago

June 12, 2025

Editor

The Innovative Media Partners Cooperative Multipurpose Society has announced its formal take-off.

The President of IMPCMS and Publisher of The Eagle Online, Dotun Oladipo, made the announcement in a statement issued on Wednesday.

According to Oladipo, the formal commencement of activities followed the completion of all registration formalities and opening of a bank account.

The statement added that this also followed the approval of the Executive Committee of the IMPCMS, which now has the full compliments of members.

Apart from Oladipo, other members of the Executive Committee include Ugomma Cookey, a member of the Board of the Media Career Development Network, as Vice President; Nkanu Egbe, Publisher of Lagos Metropolitan, as General Secretary; Ijeoma Popoola, Editor with the News Agency of Nigeria, Financial Secretary; and Dolapo Otegbayi, a prominent media and marketing consultant, as Treasurer.

The Ex-Officio Members are media trainer, Taiwo Obe; and Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WVL Development Advisers Limited and former Acting Managing Director/CEO of Bank of Industry, Dr. Waheed Olagunju.

To join the cooperative society, which is for practicing journalists and media professionals, would-be members are expected to fill a form, which can be obtained at the secretariat at 1, James Robertson Street, Surulere, Lagos.

For the electronic version of the form, the statement said a WhatsApp message can be sent to: 08023204836, or email to: nkanu.egbe@gmail.com.

The cost of membership was put at N10,000, which is payable into the cooperative society’s account with the United Bank for Africa: Innovative Media Partner Surulere Multipurpose Cooperative Society, with account number 1028258688.

Among the early financial members of the society are the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and Editor of Vanguard Newspaper, Eze Anaba; seasoned broadcaster, Anike-ade Funke Treasure; eminent journalist, Dr. Hope Orivri; Publishers of Oriental News, Chika Izuora and Yemisi Izuora; and Dayo Ojo.

All members of the Executive Committee of the IMPCMS have also become financial members.

The society was formed as a fallout of the Second Nigerian Media Leaders’ Summit held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, in 2024, and organised by The Journalism Clinic, founded by Obe.