Metro

Edo: CSOs, NANS Protest Against Obaseki’s Compulsory COVID-19 Vaccination

Published

4 years ago

September 27, 2021

…Threaten To Shut Down State If..

Residents of Benin City mostly members of civil society organistions and leaders of students union on Monday took to major streets to protest against the compulsory COVID-19 vaccination policy put in place by Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration in Edo State.

The protesters, who grounded vehicular movement in the metropolis carried placards bearing inscriptions such as: ‘We need security in Edo, not vaccine’; ‘We will resist any form of executive rascality’; ‘Hunger is killing us, not COVID-19’; ‘Obaseki obey court order’; ‘My body is my right’; ‘Share COVID-19 palliative’, threatened to completely shut down government house, government agencies/parastatals, corporate organistions enforcing ‘no vaccine, no entry policies, stressed that the protest of Monday was just a warning.

Speaking at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State council, Comrade Curtis Ogbebor, coordinator, Freedom Ambassador Organisation, said they were out to express their displeasure over the compulsory vaccination in the state, just as he stressed that there are other pressing issues such as security that the Governor should pay priority to and not COVID-19 vaccination.

He said they are giving the Governor 48 hours to withdraw the compulsory vaccination, just as they threatened to shut down the economy of the state should the governor continue with his compulsory vaccination enforcement.

“We have come out today to send a warning and an advice for him to urgently withdraw that enforcement order. 48 hours after, if he refuses to withdraw that order, we will mobilise to shut down the economy of the state. We cannot fold our arms and watch the act of illegality.” he said.

He continues, “There are issues of urgent concern like security which is enshrined in the Constitution that the Governor is under law to secure the lives and properties of its citizenry. But as we speak, the Governor is not concerned about the security and welfare of the people.

“As we speak, no street light is working in Edo State; Benin – Auchi Road is not safe to travel on because of bandits, herdsmen.

“The governor recieves N9bn annually as security vote, but as we speak, the police stations that were razed during the EndSARS protest, no one has been rebuilt.

“The local security apparatus that was put in place, many Edo youths are ready to sacrifice their lives to secure Edo people but the Governor has refused to fund them.”

He urged the state governor to focus more on infrastructural development rather than enforcing COVID-19 vaccination on the people.

Also speaking on behalf of students in Edo State, Comrade Osamudiamen Ogbidi, National Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Student and Youth Association, said students in the state reject the forceful COVID-19 vaccination.

While noting that the protest was just a warning and that students would be mobilised to shut down the state, he said all other youths in the state too reject the compulsory vaccination.

Speaking on banks enforcing the policy, he said, “We are aware that banks too are making it compulsory for their staff to be vaccinated, and that they are about to enforce ‘no vaccine, no entry policy. And we are sending a warning to them that if they try it, we are going to shut down the banks.”

Metro

Police Bust Kidnap Ring, Rescue 23 Foreigners, Arrest 14 Suspects Near Abuja

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has dismantled a transnational kidnapping syndicate that demanded N230 million ransom from foreign nationals lured into Nigeria under the guise of lucrative job offers.

Operatives of the command’s Scorpion Squad launched the sting operation around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba, Nasarawa State, a border community near Abuja.

Fourteen suspected kidnappers were arrested and 23 foreign nationals rescued in the process.

According to police findings, the victims, all West African nationals, were deceived into travelling to Nigeria by a criminal network posing as employment recruiters.

Upon arrival, the victims were held captive, and the kidnappers demanded ransom from their families via WhatsApp and other online platforms.

FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said on Friday that investigations identified the ringleader as Abubakar Jigiba, a suspected notorious cross-border criminal with known residences in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria.

The syndicate, she explained, demanded four million CFA francs (about N10 million) per person, a total ransom demand of N230 million.

Adeh confirmed that efforts are ongoing to track down the principal suspect, Abubakar Jigiba, and his brother, Sougule Zoubere, both of whom remain at large.

She said: “In a major breakthrough against kidnapping and human trafficking, operatives of the FCT Police Command’s Scorpion Squad have successfully arrested fourteen (14) suspected kidnappers and rescued twenty-three (23) victims, all foreign nationals, from captivity.

“The intelligence-led operation took place at about 8 p.m. on Tuesday, 21st October 2025, at Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

“The operation followed a report indicating that several foreign nationals had been lured into Nigeria under the pretext of lucrative job offers. Upon arrival, they were held hostage by their abductors, who demanded ransom payments from their families via WhatsApp and other online platforms.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the syndicate is coordinated by one Abubakar Jigiba, a transnational criminal kingpin with known residences in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria. His younger brother, Sougule Zoubere, handles the recruitment, kidnapping and smuggling of victims from Mali into Nigeria, where they are detained pending ransom payments. The group demanded four million CFA (N10,000,000) for each victim.

“Further investigations revealed that the victims were trafficked into the country through illegal border routes in a journey lasting about three days. They were subsequently confined in two fortified two-bedroom apartments under inhumane conditions.

“Acting on actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence, the Scorpion Squad traced the hideout to the above address, where a total of twenty-three (23) victims — fourteen (14) males, eight (8) females and one (1) child — were rescued unhurt, except one who sustained a minor ear injury and has been taken to the National Hospital, Abuja, for treatment.”

Metro

Woman Begs Court Not To Grant Husband’s Prayer For Divorce

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

A housewife, Fauziya Ibrahim, has begged an Area Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, not to grant her husband, Hamza Musbau’s prayer of divorce.

She told the court that she does not want her marriage dissolved.

“I have been married to my husband for 16 years and I want to remain in this marriage,” she told the court.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),Earlier, Hamza prayed for divorce on grounds of lack of love and affection.

The judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, said that on the strength of the provisions of the Holy Quran, Almighty Allah allows a wife to seek for settlement, just as divorce is allowed.

He, therefore, advised Fauziya to try her best to make peace and settle any misunderstanding between them.

Aluko adjourned the case.

Metro

Woman Seeks Divorce Over Alleged Abandonment, Abuse

Published

2 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

A married woman, Love Thomas, has dragged her husband, Joshua, before an upper Customary Court sitting in Kaduna, Kaduna State, over alleged abandonment and violence.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the complainant’s lawyer, Victoria Omajawu prayed the court to dissolve their marriage on the grounds of abandonment.

She also prayed the court to restrain the defendant from threatening and disturbing her client’s peace or tranquility.

The defendant was however not in court.

The judge, Mrs Patience Musa, adjourned the case.