Metro

Fear Grips Ugbowo, Uselu, Environs, Over House-to-house Robbery In Edo

Published

5 years ago

November 21, 2020

By Our Correspondent

Residents of Uselu, Ugbowo and environs in Benin City are faced with turbid times in the hands of some suspected armed criminal gangs who now parade adjoining streets and rob shop owners of their goods, kill and harrased harmless residents in broad day light operations.

With similar attacks also taking place in other areas of textile mill road, Medical stores, Okhoro, Isiehor and oluku axis during the day, it was learned that, some residents are tensioned seeking God’s interventions following the failure of police operatives to fully resume duty.

Despite battle for supremacy between cult rivalry groups who had embarked on embarrassing wanton killings of one another, hopes were gradually gathering momentum for a peaceful resolve between the group.

Upper Sakponba had been the epicenter of the resultant clashes but with the recent presence of security joint task force there, it appears that, the fleeing suspects have taking Uselu-Ugbowo-
medical as their new abodes.

The worst hit areas are residents of Good Samaritan Street,
Ediakean Primary School Road,
Iyase, Ebo Junction and Etiosa
suburb, who are forced to sleep early with doors closed and hallucinating similar attacks.

It was gathered that, shop owners close up their shops by 4pm and resumes sale at 8:30am with most areas around, deserted and lonely enough for criminal onslaughts.

Commercial activities have hit all time low over incessant gun shots that had continued to rent the air at free will, resulting to killings in most cases.

Days ago, a man who was reportedly returning home from work was attacked and killed around First Federal Road with his lifeless body seen in the early hours of the following day.

According to a source, the deceased was few meters away from his place when he was reportedly hacked to death.

Similarly, a middle age furniture apprentice, who was at his furniture stalls life was cut shot by the suspected criminals who ambushed him while he was said to have gone to buy materials for a job.

A senior resident who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, said “the gang of armed robbers moved door-to-door, shooting or hacking some of their victims to death”.

According to him, “they rob traders’ shops on a daily basis. Everyday, we are afraid of the criminal elements. They move around brandishing guns and weapons of mass destruction.

“They do not only threatning their victims, but rob them of their belongings. Those children are very scary”.

“We are appealing to appropriate authorities to protect the live and properties they took oath for. We can’t sleep with our eyes closed”.

It would be recall that, More than four police divisional stations across the city centre were burned recently in a peaceful protest against police brutality turned violence.

Statistics are difficult to come by, but many would say Edo State, Particularly Benin City, has been an increase in some types of crime in recent weeks.

The level of murder and robbery rates have risen since the advent of #EndSARS protest which was believed to have been hijacked by suspected hoodlums and cultists, leaving no fewer than 38 Persons murdered since the cult clashes.

Recall, the Commissioner of Police,
Edo State, Johnson Babatunde
Kokumo, during a recent parade of 48 suspected criminals, noted that the fleeing inmates and other suspects would soon be tracked

As at the time of filing in this report, sounds from the security vehicles parading were heard moving into the flash points of the adjoining streets in Uselu to signal their presence in the danger zones as sounds of heavy gun shooting at every interval rent the air.

Metro

Edo Assembly Declares Okpebholo’s Projects Unprecedented

Published

22 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

The Edo State House of Assembly has described projects embarked upon by Governor Monday Okpebholo as unprecedented in the history of Edo State.

Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Atu Osamwonyi, made the assertion when he led members of the legislature on a comprehensive oversight inspection of several ongoing infrastructural projects.

Other lawmakers on the oversight team included Hon. Addeh Isibor, Hon. Yekini Idaiye, and Hon. Ugabi Kingsley.

Hon. Osamwonyi, who spoke during an assessment tour of the Sapele Road Flyover, said the lawmakers were in the field to verify the progress of work and ensure that funds appropriated by the Assembly were being judiciously utilised.

According to him, the flyover represents a milestone for Benin City and reflects the governor’s commitment to infrastructural renewal.

He emphasised that unlike past administrations where funds were approved with no tangible results, the Okpebholo-led government had demonstrated transparency and visible delivery.

“In my entire life in Edo State, this flyover project is the first of its kind. We are here physically, and work is ongoing,” he said.

The Deputy Speaker added that the Assembly had earlier inspected the Ramat Park Flyover on Monday, noting similar levels of progress.

“This is the fifth site we have visited since yesterday. We are impressed with what we have seen so far, and as a House, we will stand by the governor to ensure he finishes strong,” he said.

At Ogheghe, Old Sapele Road and Ekae Road—where a 14-kilometre road and concrete drainage network is underway—Hon. Osamwonyi described the construction efforts as unprecedented, expressing astonishment at the level of work done within a short period.

He insisted that the legislature does not play politics with accountability and would speak the truth at all times.

“If Governor Okpebholo was not doing well, we would say it. But I stand here today to affirm that the funds appropriated are being used judiciously for the benefit of the people.l”, he noted.

He further remarked that despite limited financial resources, the governor had delivered projects many believed were impossible.

The Deputy Speaker recalled that several communities, particularly in Ogheghe, previously suffered from severe road degradation that made access impossible, even for motorcycles.

“But today we are standing here with joy. The governor has brought democracy to Edo in a way the people can feel,” he said.

According to him, contractors handling the projects confirmed that although the initial timeline was two years, work would likely be completed within one year and six months due to the speed of implementation.

“That tells you that Governor Okpebholo is not eating Edo people’s money,” he added.

Hon. Osamwonyi stressed that the Assembly would resist any attempt to derail the governor’s momentum.

“This is the continuity we want in Edo State. Anybody who wants to thwart the governor’s efforts, we will not agree,” he said.

The oversight team also visited the 5.86-kilometre road project linking Amagba and Obagie-N’Ebvuosa, where the engineer handling the project reported that 4.3 kilometres of drainage had already been completed.

Metro

Edo Final-year Student Dies In Sign-out Motorcade Crash

Published

1 day ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

A yet-to-be-identified final-year student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, has lost his life in a road crash after he and some other students embarked on a motorcade parade to celebrate the completion of their final examinations.

It was learnt on Tuesday from a Facebook user, Inside Edo, that the accident occurred on Monday shortly after the students finished their final examination.

Inside Edo disclosed that the vehicle had attempted to overtake another before losing control and ramming into a truck.

The post read, “A tragic accident has occurred at Ujoelen, close to the primary school, resulting in the death of a newly graduated student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.

“According to eyewitnesses, the crash happened during an attempted overtaking by one of the vehicles involved.

“The risky manoeuvre reportedly led to a loss of control, causing the fatal incident. Residents who were nearby rushed to the scene, but the victim could not be saved.”

Similarly, the News Agency of Nigeria reported that the students were said to have been driving recklessly before crashing into a stationary truck.

The deceased was said to be part of a convoy made up of fresh graduates of the university.

NAN reported, “He was reportedly part of a convoy of fresh graduates who took to the highway on Monday shortly after their signing-out activities.

“Witnesses said the group drove recklessly and failed to observe basic safety rules during the celebrations.

“The tragedy occurred when the deceased attempted to overtake a moving truck but collided with a stationary vehicle parked along the road.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Cyril Mathew, proved abortive, as the official number available on the FRSC directory was not reachable at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, NAN reported that Mathew later confirmed the incident, adding that one person died while five others were injured in the crash.

“The students, after writing their last paper, took to the road in a convoy.

“In the process, one of them overtook another vehicle and rammed into a stationary truck,” NAN quoted Mathew as saying.

Metro

One Dies In Oyo Fire, Two Rescued

Published

1 day ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

One person lost her life in a fire incident at Agbaakin Street, behind Testing Ground, Iwo Road, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday.

This was contained in a statement by the Chairman of the State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, in Ibadan, on Tuesday.

He said the fire resulted from a lighted charcoal cooking pot left unattended, which ignited nearby combustible materials.

Akinwande added that the firefighting operation was successfully carried out with the support of officers of the Federal Fire Service.

“The fire emergency was received at exactly 20:18 hours on Monday, December 8, 2025.

“On getting there, it was two rooms on the upper floor of a private residential building of 12 rooms engulfed by fire.

“One person (female) was recovered, while two persons (males) were rescued alive. The fire also affected only two rooms, and the whole building and other properties worth millions of naira were saved by the officers of the agency.

“The fire incident was a result of a lighted charcoal cooking pot left unattended, which ignited nearby combustible materials. The operation was jointly carried out with the Federal Fire Service, Ibadan Command,” he explained.

In a related development, a fire incident on Tuesday engulfed the Agric Business Development Agency at Total Garden in Ibadan.

A statement by the State Fire Service Chairman, Akinwande, said the agency received a telephone call through Mr Akinyinka reporting that fire had ravaged the place.

“The incident was reported at exactly 09:20hrs on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, through a telephone call by Mr Akinyinka (the General Manager, Oyo State Fire Services Agency) to the office, reporting a fire at the above-stated address.

“The officers, led by ACFS Oyeniyi Taofeek, swiftly mobilised and deployed to the scene. Upon arrival, it was discovered that electrical sparks from a solar inverter control board on the upper floor of the building resulted in the fire.

“The swift response and professional intervention of our officers prevented the situation from escalating into a fire disaster. The use of portable fire extinguishers was employed during the firefighting operation.

“No casualty was recorded, and properties worth millions of naira were saved by the fire service. The fire incident was a result of electrical sparks from the inverter system,” the statement read.

The chairman, therefore, advised the public to always use correct cables and other electrical materials for their installations.