News

Edo Seals Brothel Inside Primary School, Recovers 2,000 Encroached Lands

Published

4 months ago

May 22, 2025

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

Edo State Government yesterday said it has uncovered and sealed a brothel inside a primary school in Esan West Local Government Area of the state.

The government also disclosed that over 2,000 plots of land encroached upon have also been recovered from land grabbers in the state.

The state Coordinator for the Protection of Government Property, (PGP), Hon. Eugene Okolosie disclosed this at a press conference in Benin City.

Okolosie, who noted that over 150, 000 houses in the state are built on government land, appealed to those who want to acquire landed property to clear from the Edo Geographic Information Service, Edo GIS to avoid fallen victims to the criminal activities of land grabbers and speculators.

He said: “A lot of government properties have been encroached upon. Seventy per cent of our moat have been taken over, and the most affected is our public schools. In Ambrose Alli University, AAU, alone we have recovered plots of land from land grabbers.

“The community came to inform us that land grabbers forged their signatures, and we moved into action and recovered about 90 percent of the land including lands belonging to schools.

“For example in Ujuele primary school, they built a brothel inside the school but we have sealed the brothel.

“Some of these properties will be converted and we are currently discussing the matter with the governor.

“In Iyoba, the community on their own shared the school into two parts and sold half of the school to individuals.

“You can imagine a food silo was sold, that again investigation is underway and those suspected to be involved have been invited.

Okolosie, who revealed that the agency has received over 3, 000 petitions from communities regarding illegal acquisition of government property in the last two months, vowed to recover such properties.

He further commended Okpehbolo for the provision counsels to the agency to ensure smooth prosecution of offenders.

News

Boko Haram Once Nominated Muhammadu Buhari As Negotiator – Jonathan Revealed

Published

2 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday, disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents once nominated the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari as their negotiator.

Jonathan said Boko Haram chose Buhari to negotiate with the Nigerian government on their behalf.

He made the disclosure while speaking at the public presentation of Scars, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), in Abuja.

Jonathan said the insurgents named Buhari after his then-administration set up several committees to explore dialogue with the group.

Jonathan said: “One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government.

“So I was feeling that, oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and had a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns. But it was still there till today.”

Jonathan noted that the inability of Buhari to eradicate Boko Haram terrorists showed that the crisis was more complex than often portrayed.

News

Edo: Pandemonium As NDLEA Operatives Chase Escaping Driver With Shooting

Published

4 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

There was pandemonium at Oka Market, Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, Friday, as operatives of the State Command of Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) shot sporadically in chase of an escaping driver.

In the course of the commotion, traders and residents took to their heels, probably to avoid being hit by stray bullets, while others were confused, not sure of what caused the sporadic gunshots.

The sporadic gunshots which lasted more than five minutes at the gate of the NDLEA Head Office, by Oka Market, followed a hot chase of an articulated vehicle driver who was said to have brushed their (NDLEA) vehicle.

The driver, who reportedly brushed the NDLEA vehicle refused to stop for negation, which prompted officers at the scene to alert their colleagues who waited at the alert.

According to eyewitnesses, as the escaping articulated driver approached the NDLEA office, officers who were said to have been alerted by their colleagues pursuing the trailer began to shoot.

Seven of the tyres of the trailer were deflated by bullets of the NDLEA operatives yet the driver refused to stop.

The officers continued to shoot while pursuing him, until he was caught.

A source said that the driver brushed their vehicle on the way, and that every effort by the officers to stop him so they could settle the matter proved abortive; hence the gunshots and deflation of the tires.

“It was a simple thing; they jammed our men, but the officers tried to stop him so that they could settle, but the driver refused to stop. That is why the men have been shooting to stop him. Even after bursting about seven tires, he was still running, but we caught him and they are bringing him back to our office,” he concluded.

Calls and messages sent to the commander, Edo State NDLEA Command, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, were not responded to as at when filing this.

News

JUST IN: Court Bars Police From Enforcing Tinted Glass Regulation

Published

6 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court sitting in Warri has issued an order directing the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to maintain the status quo in the ongoing case concerning the controversial tinted glass permit.

The case, Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025: John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector-General of Police & Nigeria Police Force, came up for hearing today.

Delivering the interim order, the Court directed the police authorities to respect judicial processes pending further proceedings in the matter.

Confirming the development, Kunle Edun, SAN, who led the legal team, noted that the directive is a major step in ensuring that the rule of law is upheld while the substantive issues in the case are being determined.

Details of the ruling and the next adjourned date are expected shortly.

Further updates coming soon…