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Edo: National President Calls For Police Intervention As Butchers Engage In Gun Duel

Published

4 years ago

December 8, 2021

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President, National Butchers Association, Chief Osamede Adun, has called on Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Philip Ogbadu, to invite members, Edo State Practicing Butchers Association, before the crisis rocking the crisis rocking the association get out of hand.

His call is coming after the crisis
rocking the association on Wednesday degenerated to shooting amongst members.

Narrating how the shooting‎ occurred, Mr. Sunny Omokaro, a private abattoir operator and member of Edo State Vigilante, said he was returning from work when he saw some young men sent by Akhere Odigie, Chairman of the Practising Butchers Association, to invade his abattoir amid shooting into the air.

He said because he was just returning from his Vigilante duty at the time and having his gun with him at the time, he also fire into the air in reply and immediately called the DPO of New Benin Police Station to report the situation, following which policemen were deployed to the scene but they could not however calm the situation.

He further disclosed that not long after, Odigie led other boys to his abattoir even as the New Benin DPO also arrived and invited the warring parties to the police station‎.

“We wer‎e all invited to the station but the DPO later allowed Akhere and his boys to go because they are with the state government and I have been kept at the station since morning.

“Akhere is fighting me becase I refuse to give‎ him money. He said I should pay him for any cow I slaughter. He determines how many cows are killed in Benin and that is responsible for the high cost meat in Edo”, Omokaro explained.

‎Meanwhile, Chief Adun who decried his name being dragged into the crisis, has expressed shock over the development.

He said, “When I heard that they are fighting, for the past five to six years I have not been part of them and whether they have such a union in Benin here, we don’t know because I am the National President of the National Butchers Union of Nigeria and we have been in existence for over 50 years.(Sic)

“All these that they are dragging my name into it, I don’t understand it, dragging my name and mentioning the governor, I don’t understand them. I have stayed clear of union matters concerning Edo State. (Sic)

“I have called the Commissioner of Police to invite all of us, whether they even know me by my face.
I have slaughter houses here in Benin, they said we should not kill cows and I told my people to comply but as the national president, I have right to kill cow in my private slaughter house but these boys gave an order and I told my people to ensure compliance since they say they are now Practicing Butchers which our union don’t know.

“They know what they are fighting for so government and security agencies should invite them and find out what is going as regards butchers”, Chief Adun added.

Recall that concerned members of the Butchers association on Tuesday appealed to the State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki to remove the purported State Chairman, Mr Akhere Odigie, who they alleged was not a butcher but imposed on the association by government against their wishes, five years ago.

They further alleged that the gross incompetence of Mr Akhere Odigie is costing members millions of naira, to the extent that butchers lose between N80,000 and N120,000 for each cow slaughtered in Benin City on a daily basis.

Besides, they alleged that Mr. Odigie extort monies at gun point from innocent butchers while threatening to close down the abbatoir of those who fail to pay up, boasting that he has the governor’s backing and is above the law.

“Many butchers are also indebted to banks and money lenders, besides the Cattle dealers. While some owe a minimum of N20 million others owe N40 million and above to these Cattle dealers.

“This includes women and even the Hausa people among us. Some have even sold landed properties, lands, houses and vehicles and other valuables to remain in business. Besides, all was well with us before the government imposed Mr Odigie on the association
in violation of the constitution of the Butchers association.

“We know that Odigie claims he is a relative of Governor Obaseki. That was why he imposed him on us. That is also why besides his ignorance of the code of conduct for all butchers since he was never a butcher himself, he has engaged among other illegalities, in high-handedness, abuse of office, extortion, thuggery and intimidation of members.

“Many butchers have left the public slaughter houses because their lives are at risk of the hired thugs who parade the arena daily and on the instructions of Mr. Odigie who bullies and intimidates them. Even the said Odigie regularly goes about with armed thugs and threatens innocent butchers by shooting into the air”, one of the butchers, Hajia Bilikisu Sule alleged‎.

Another butcher, Mr. Ahmadu Muhammad said “In spite of everything going on which is clearly wrong and out of place, the Mr Odigie keeps boasting and telling anyone who cares to listen that, no one can remove them from office because he is a relative of the State Governor.

“The present situation is unacceptable because it has put many individual butchers into huge debts running with Cattle Dealers. Butchers are all operating at a loss with huge investment and zero returns. We want Governor Obaseki to remove Odigie from office and pave the way for the conduct of a proper, open, free and fair election where qualified and competent butchers who have relevant experience can vie for offices.

“As a governor who was democratically elected in a popular election, it is only proper that Governor Obaseki will allow we butchers to benefit from the same democratic process by allowing us to hold a free and fair election to elect competent officials to run our affairs”.

But in his reaction, Odigie who explained that he is in his second term leading the association, described the allegations as lies and politically motivated.

“They are doing that because they have lost their battle. We slaughter cows everyday. I just finished from a meeting now”‎, Odigie said, to debunk the claim that he was not a butcher.

He said his leadership has sanitized the E‎do Butchers Association after breaking away from the National Butchers Association.

Headline

British Family Accused Of Boarding Dead Grandmother On EasyJet Flight

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

A British family has been accused of trying to board a dead relative onto an EasyJet flight from Málaga, Spain, to London Gatwick on Thursday, passengers said.

The woman, reportedly 89 years old, was wheeled onto the plane by five family members, who told airline staff she was unwell and had fallen asleep.

Witnesses said the woman was pushed in a wheelchair to the rear of the plane and lifted into her seat. Some claimed they overheard a family member tell a boarding clerk, “It’s OK, she’s just tired,” adding, “It’s OK, we’re doctors.”

Just before takeoff, the cabin crew realized the woman had died, and the plane was turned around, delaying the flight by 12 hours.

Petra Boddington, a passenger, said: “easyJet, when did you start letting dead people onto planes? Seriously!” Another, Tracy-Ann Kitching, added: “I saw her being wheeled onto the plane; someone was holding her head as they passed me! A doctor on board confirmed that was already dead when they sat her down.”

EasyJet has denied that a deceased person boarded the plane. The airline said the passenger had a fit-to-fly certificate and was alive when she boarded.

“The flight returned to the stand prior to take-off due to a customer on board requiring urgent medical assistance. The flight was met by emergency services, but sadly the customer passed away,” a spokesperson said.

The Guardia Civil in Málaga confirmed officers attended the aircraft, and the woman was declared dead on board. No arrests have been made.

Headline

Russian Strike On Odesa Region Kills Eight, Injures 27

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2025

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Ukraine’s State Emergency Service has reported at least eight people killed and 27 others injured on Friday night after a Russian ballistic missile strike hit the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa.

According to Ukrainian authorities, the attack targeted port infrastructure facilities in the town of Pivdenne, near Odesa, and damaged nearby civilian vehicles.

The strike came one week after much of Odesa was left without power, heat, and water following a “severe” aerial assault.

“Some of the injured were on a bus that was at the epicenter of the shelling. Trucks caught fire in the parking lot, and cars were also damaged,” the State Emergency Service said.

Emergency officials said the deaths occurred at a port infrastructure facility. Medical teams and first responders were deployed after the strike, but their work was disrupted by “ongoing air raid alerts,” according to Oleh Kiper, head of Odesa’s regional administration.

Russia has carried out repeated attacks on Odesa in recent days, damaging port facilities, civilian vessels, and key infrastructure.

Two major bridges linking the northern and southern parts of the Odesa region have also been hit, with repairs under way, Kiper said.

Elsewhere, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported a “massive” drone attack on the southern Mykolayiv region, which damaged civilian infrastructure and vehicles. No casualties were reported.

Odesa, Ukraine’s largest seaport and a major hub in the Black Sea region, has been a frequent target since the start of the war.

Last week, civilian, energy, and industrial sites in the city suffered extensive damage after what regional officials described as “one of the enemy’s most severe airstrikes,” leaving many areas without power and water.

Russia’s Defence Ministry has not commented on the attack.

Speaking hours before the strike during his annual Direct Line call-in show, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia was yet to “see Ukraine’s readiness for peace”.

“[Russia] is ready for negotiations and for ending the conflict via peaceful means,” Putin said, adding that it was up to Russia’s “Western opponents” to end the war.

(CNN)

Headline

Aircraft Crashes In Owerri With Four Persons Onboard

Published

6 days ago

December 17, 2025

Editor

Photo: File copy

A Cessna 172 aircraft with registration number 5N-ASR, operated by Skypower Express, has crashed at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.

The aircraft had departed Kaduna International Airport en route to Port Harcourt International Airport before diverting to Owerri after the crew declared an emergency.

The crash occurred at about 8:00 pm on the airport premises, with four passengers and crew members onboard.

Confirming the incident, the Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, said the agency had been notified of the crash.

According to the NSIB, the aircraft crashed on the approach area of Runway 17, but no fatalities have been recorded so far.

The statement said: “Following the occurrence, airport emergency services were successfully activated and arrived on site promptly. Reports indicate that there was no post-crash fire, and the runway remains active for flight operations, with other aircraft taking off safely after the incident.

“Efforts are currently underway to coordinate the recovery and evacuation of the distressed aircraft from the crash site to allow for a detailed wreckage examination.”

The NSIB said it has officially activated its investigation protocols in line with its statutory mandate

The Director-General of NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., sympathised with the management of Skypower Express over the incident and expressed relief that no lives were lost.

Badeh Jr. added that the Bureau’s investigation team is already coordinating with relevant authorities to secure the crash site and commence a detailed investigation into the cause of the accident.

Two days ago, 11 persons narrowly escaped death as a private jet crash-landed at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on Sunday morning.

The occupants, including passengers and cabin crew, were safely evacuated amid an intense atmosphere, eyewitnesses told The Guardian.

The private jet, owned by Flybird Aviation, crash-landed at about 9:30 a.m. while approaching Kano Airport en route to Abuja.

The incident attracted urgent attention, with emergency staff and other stakeholders converging at the runway to render rescue operations.

The management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is yet to release an official statement on the incident. Unofficial sources disclosed that the passengers have been taken to an unknown destination.

Several aircraft incidents have occurred at Kano Airport, with several lives lost.

The last incident occurred in May 2002, when an EAS Airline aircraft departed the runway at Aminu Kano International Airport at 1:29 p.m. local time en route to Lagos.