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ENDSARS: Ex-Edo Commissioner Demands N1b Compensation Over Son’s Death

Published

5 years ago

December 15, 2020

Former Commissioner of Agriculture, Edo State, Dr. Johnson Erimafa, Tuesday, demanded from the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses for compensation of N1 billion for the death of his only son murdered in cold blood by police officer in 2003.

He said though no amount of money can compensate for the loss of his son, which eventually led to his wife divorcing him, but that the panel should prevail on the government to pay him the sum of N1billion to help assuage his pains.

Dr. Erimafa, a retired Mathematics lecturer from the Ambrose Alli University and ex-Commissioner of Agriculture told the panel that his son, Paul Erimafa,18, was brutally murdered by a happy-trigger police officer, Sergeant Kalijaye when he was on his way to watch the Big Brother Africa in a cyber cafe close to his house.

Erimafa who chronicled the incident, said the pathetic aspect of it was that the killing took place right at the front of the Chief Justice’s house.

“So, police abducted him and took him round, they wanted to smuggle him into the State House, of course I don’t know for whatever reason they wanted to smuggle him to State House but the police at the State House did not allow them enter.

“So, they started carrying him about. You can imagine, from about 8:30pm that they abducted him, until 3am, they shot him dead in the front of the Chief Justice’s house, just opposite the deputy governor’s house.

“You can imagine, it is supposed to be a safe area where you don’t expect anybody to harass a child or any person but unfortunately, right in the front of Chief Judge’s house, the then Justice Constance Momoh.

“He was accused of nothing rather they said he was being suspected. What do you expect them to say? He was alone, he has no knife and gun but right there, they fired five shots, two into the air, three others on him but the first two, because they came out and in the front of the CJ’s house, you have the CJ’s security details, about eight of them, four police and four civil security details and these people were looking at them, the way the whole things were going.

“He said I will shoot you and the boy asked why will he shoot him?

“Then, when he wanted to shoot him, the boy struggled with him and the boy forced him to throw away the gun and the boy raised alarm which drew the attention of the security details who were at the CJ’s house who asked what is the matter? So, my son started telling them the story.

“The police now took his gun, and fired him on his two legs and the boy fell immediately and he was crying.

“The policeman abandoned him and ran to the State CID to invite his patrol team.

“As at then, the boy was already groaning in pains. So, the policeman said so you are still alive? He fired him in his abdomen.

“You can see that the man really wanted the boy to be dead”, he said.

He said that his late son who was about gaining admission into the university to study political science had it in mind to be the president of the nation when he grows up but his dream was truncated by the trigger-happy police officer for no reason.

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Grassroots To Global Podium: Edo Sports Commission Marks Enabulele’s First Year In Office

Published

1 hour ago

December 19, 2025

Editor

The Indoor Sports Hall in Benin City came alive on Wednesday as the Edo State Sports Commission rolled out the drums to celebrate the first anniversary in office of its Executive Chairman, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele. Management, staff, coaches and athletes gathered in an atmosphere charged with pride, reflection and optimism.

The colourful ceremony drew executives and members of various sports associations, officials of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), coaches, athletes and other key stakeholders in Edo sports.

In her welcome address, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. A. P. Amenze, praised Hon. Enabulele for what she described as focused and purposeful leadership. She said the past year had seen renewed confidence, discipline and energy return to the state’s sports ecosystem.

Adding excitement to the event were exhibition bouts and demonstrations by the Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo and Judo associations, staged in honour of the Executive Chairman.

Speaking for SWAN Edo State, Chairman Comrade Kehinde Osagiede commended Hon. Enabulele’s open-door leadership style and consistent support for sports development. He noted that the Commission had effectively driven Governor Monday Okpebholo’s “Catch Them Young” policy through practical grassroots programmes that identify and groom young talents across the state.

In recognition of his contributions to sports development and media relations, Comrade Osagiede conferred the Patronship of SWAN Edo State on Hon. Enabulele and presented him with a special anniversary card.

Goodwill messages followed from Executive Directors of the Commission, including Hon. Frank Ilaboya (Edo North), Coach Baldwin Bazuaye, MON (Edo South), Barr. Anthony Ikuenobe (Edo Central), and Mrs. Sabrina Chikere, Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations. Representatives of coaches, athletes and sports associations also took turns to acknowledge the progress recorded under the current leadership.

In his stewardship address, Hon. Enabulele expressed gratitude to Governor Monday Okpebholo and Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa for the trust placed in him, noting that their backing and shared vision had driven the Commission’s achievements.

He highlighted Team Edo’s third-place finish at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, where the state recorded its best-ever outing with 79 medals—33 gold, 18 silver and 28 bronze—reinforcing Edo’s reputation as a national sports powerhouse.

The Chairman also pointed to the impact of inclusive and grassroots sports programmes, citing Favour Ojeabu, a visually impaired para-cyclist who won three gold medals to emerge Africa’s champion at the African Track Para-Cycling Championship in Egypt.

Other milestones listed included outstanding performances by Edo para powerlifters on the international stage, historic achievements in cricket, weightlifting, cycling, judo and deaf athletics, as well as structural reforms such as the repositioning of Bendel Insurance FC and deeper investment in grassroots sports development.

Cultural performances added colour and tradition to the celebration, as stakeholders closed the event united in their assessment of the past year as a truly transformative period for sports development in Edo State.

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Otuaro Tasks Media On Objective Reportage

Published

9 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Dr. Dennis Otuaro has charged media practitioners particularly members of the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum to promote ethical journalism through their reportage.

He gave the charge in Warri on Wednesday during the 2nd Annual Ijaw Media Conference organised by the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF).

Represented by Princewill Binebai, spokesman, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Otuaro while stating that the Niger Delta stories have been told in such a way that is quite different from what is obtainable in the real sense, said this, IPF must do everything possible to correct.

The administrator added: “I am happy that Ijaw journalists have boldly come out together to champion the Ijaw struggle in a very dynamic perspective”.

“The Ijaw story was misrepresented over the years, but IPF’s emergence had corrected this error and the story is gradually changing for better.”

Otuaro, however, challenged Ijaw media practitioners to be objective, truthful, accurate and fearless in their reportage to correct many years anomalies of the Ijaw struggle.

He admonished members of IPF to see themselves as brothers and love one another in the discharge of their activities to achieve a common goal.

News

Police Confirm Edo Tanker Explosion, say No Casualty

Published

9 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has confirmed tanker explosions that rocked Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Police Publice Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the incident via the phone, said the explosion occurred at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

Ikoedem said the incident occurred on Wednesday evening at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

She explained that spilled fuel seeped into underground tunnels, which later ignited and caused three explosions in different parts of the Auchi community.

According to her, officers from the Auchi Divisional Police Headquarters and the Area Command were mobilised to the affected areas and successfully cordoned them off to prevent loss of lives.

She added: “No casualty was recorded. Our men on ground were able to cordoned the affected areas.”

It was gathered that three separate explosions rocked the town simultaneously in different parts, which led to properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

A resident who does not want his name in print said via the telephone that the blasts occurred along Igbei Road, Igbo Shade, and along the Auchi–Okene Road, close to Winners Junction.

The resident, who alleged the explosions appeared to have been coordinated, called for a thorough investigation into the incident to prevent future occurrences.

Calls put across to Mr. Monday Edogiawere, Chairman, Red Cross, Edo State, were not picked.