Metro

Edo: Mysterious Fire Guts Building, Leaves Owner’s Grave Building Untouched

Published

2 years ago

December 22, 2023

Editor

Rubles of the building

A mysterious early morning fire destroyed a building in Benin City leaving a grave house attached to the structure intact.

Goods worth several millions of naira kept inside shops in the building could not be savaged by youths and fire fighters who tried to put out the blazing fire.

Smoke was seen bellowing from king size refrigerators, sewing machines, generators, wraps of clothes and other merchandise as well as household property inside the affected building.

The roof and wall of the entire building apart from that of the grave house were reduced to rumbles.

Voters and NIN cards as well as other documents were said to have also been lost to the flame.

Residents of Ekiuwa Street, New Market and its environs in Second East Circular road are still struggling to unravel the mysteries of the early morning fire outbreak that destroyed the building leaving a portion that house the owner’s grave, untouched.

A visit to the area, clusters of bewildered locals were seen taking photos of the razed building with their phones as they discussed the fire in discordant opinions.

Traders at a nearby New Market expressed joy that the flame did not spread to the market as their wares in the shops would have been reduced to aches.

It was gathered that the mysterious inferno started about 1:27a.m on Sunday, December 17, 2023.

A resident said the harmattan blaze suddenly dwindled when it approached the grave house attached to the building immediately after the sitting room.

The grave house shares the same roof, ceiling and wall with that of the affected building.

Checks revealed fresh flowers and portrait of a man neatly placed on a grave inside the white painted attached house with slide glass doors.

It was also learnt that there was no electricity supply to the area at the time of the fire outbreak to suggest possible electric spark as remote cause of the fire.

Records at our disposal indicate that this is the first time an attached grave house is surviving fire outbreak in Benin City in passed decades.

Contacted, one Larry Uyi Osadiaye said his late father Mr. Moses Noguese Osadiaye, 83, owner of the building was buried in the said grave after his death on February 6, 2016.

He further stated that his eldest brother Mr. Henry Osadiaye who inherited the building was inside alone when the fire started.

Mr. Larry also stated that the cause of the fire was still unknown as the family has formally reported the Incident at Esigie police station covering the area.

Confirming the fire outbreak, the Public Relations Officer, Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor said one Henry Osadiaye reported the incident.

SP Nwabuzor added that police commenced investigation into the inferno as their findings would be presented to the Commissioner of police CP Mohammed Dankwara for further action.

Metro

Edo Police Arrest Doctor Over Woman’s Death During Caesarean Section

Published

10 hours ago

August 22, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has said that it arrested a medical doctor following the death of a woman during an operation at a private hospital in Uromi, the administrative headquarters of Esan North-East Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, while confirming the arrest said that detectives were investigating the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.

“I can confirm the arrest of the doctor, and the command’s detectives are also investigating the matter.”

Police identified the doctor as Festus Ogheghele of Dickson Medical Centre, Uromi.

He was said to have performed a Caesarean section on the deceased, Susan Omoye-Okporan, 36, on August 2, 2025.

It was gathered that the woman reportedly developed complications and died shortly after the procedure, though her baby survived.

Her bereaved family members accused the doctor of gross professional negligence, which prompted a police investigation.

A family source said that the doctor may have been careless while performing the surgery, noting that they were ready to pursue the case to the highest level.

“I am sure the doctor was careless. Performing a cesarean section is one of the easiest surgical operations due to advancement in technology. The family is ready to pursue the case to the highest level,” the source added.

Findings at the command headquarters in Benin revealed that operatives of the Homicide Section, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), took over the case from Uromi police over two weeks ago.

It was further learnt that an autopsy had been conducted, and the result is awaiting interpretation by police medical experts to determine the next line of action.

Metro

NDLEA Arrests 65 Suspects In Abia, 7 Prosecuted, Convicted

Published

11 hours ago

August 22, 2025

Editor

The new Abia State Commandant of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Joseph Owoputi has disclosed that sixty five suspects were arrested by the Command between June and August 2025 with about 82 kilo gram of substances seized from them.

Owoputi who said his Command secured seven convictions within the period under review, disclosed twelve of the arrested suspects are currently being prosecuted.

He stated this on Wednesday, when he led a team of officials from his Command visit Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.

The new NDLEA Commandant also said thirty eight other individuals are undergoing counselling and rehabilitation in the Command’s facility.

Owoputi assured the Abia Governor that he would consolidate on the achievements recorded by his predecessor and solicited the assistance of the state government in providing them with operational vehicles for more efficient performance.

He further thanked the Abia Governor for the support he extended to the immediate past NDLEA Commandant in Abia, which he said, assisted the agency in the fight against drugs abuse and illicit drug transactions.

Responding to the new Abia NDLEA boss’ appeal, Governor Alex Otti approved two new Hilux vans for the agency and directed that NDLEA’S abandoned vehicles should be retrieved and fixed by the Abia State government.

Otti who called for tougher legislation against drug abuse and illicit drug dealers in Nigeria, lamented that drug abuse is destroying many young persons, including students.

Metro

Village Youths Capture Bandit During Midnight Attack In Benue

Published

15 hours ago

August 22, 2025

Editor

Gunmen suspected to be bandits launched an attack on Bigwa village in Mbayenge, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, in the early hours of Tuesday, August 19, 2025.

Witnesses said the attackers invaded the community around 2 a.m., but were resisted by local youths who mobilized to defend the village.

During the confrontation, one of the bandits was overpowered and captured, while others fled with injuries.

Several youths were also said to have sustained injuries in the clash.

The captured suspect has since been handed over to security agencies for investigation.

Community members praised the courage of the youths in standing up to the attackers, but appealed to government and security forces to step up protection in the area to prevent further assaults.