News

Insecurity: Edo CP Gives Scorecard In Fight Against Kidnapping On Highways

Published

3 years ago

August 13, 2022

The Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP, Abutu Yaro, on Saturday said the Benin-Ekpoma Road has not recorded any kidnapping activities due to the availability of logistics provided by the state government to the command in combating crime.

He disclosed this in Benin during a meeting with members of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and other relevant stakeholders in the state.

CP Yaro also said that in the last 120 days, the only kidnapping activity that was witnessed in the state was carried out along the Benin-Lagos express near Ogbemudia Farm, adding that it was heavily repelled by men of the operatives of the command.

“I can confidently attest that in the past 90 days, the road between Benin and Ekpoma has never witnessed kidnapping.

” I can equally attest that in the last 120 days, we had only one kidnapping attempt in Benin-Lagos Expressway at Ogbemudia Farm and which the police reacted totally and effectively rescued the victim and gave the kidnappers a tough firing experience”, he said.

Yaro opined that the command has further taken delivery of 15 vehicles and other logistics that will make policing the state and making it safe for businesses and other social activities to thrive from the state government.

“I want to use this forum once more to commend the governor of Edo State for initiating this process and for bringing in new and robust security and engineering modern.

“As I speak, His Excellency, the governor has placed elaborate CCTV camera system that covers almost every strategic place in the state capital.

“As I speak too, His Excellency has reenforced the police command with additional special forces components from Abuja in order to enable the proportional capacity of the command to remain consistently ahead.

“The governor has equally donated 15 new operational vehicles to the police command which are already be deployed to the divisions and as I speak in all the 58 police divisions in Edo state, we are operating with functional mobilities that is to say, we have functional vehicles and as I speak, the elements of lubricants, petroleum and diesel required to power this vehicles have been emplaced”, he said.

The Commissioner of Police, while commending the Edo Security Network (ESN) for working hand-in-hand with the police in reducing crime and criminality in the state, said, the outfit will be reorganised.

He assured that within the next 72 hours, the officers and men of the operatives (ESN) would be given adequate training at the Ogida Police Barracks to enable them do their jobs effectively and professionally.

He further said the resolution of the meeting is for all stakeholders to support the Edo State Police Command in actualising the mandate of securing Edo and make it to be more peaceful and urging us to fight violent crimes and criminality especially kidnapping and violent cultism.

News

IYC Expresses Displeasure Over Okpebholo’s Neglect Of Edo Ijaw

Published

59 minutes ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

Leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Western Zone, have expressed displeasure over what they described as the “persistent marginalisation of the Ijaw political class, traditional institutions and the ongoing abandonment of Ijaw communities,” by the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led Edo State government.

The IYC, in a statement jointly signed by Comrade Nicholas Igrama, Barr. Ebi Olowolayemo and Comrade Tare Magbei, Western Zone Chairman, Secretary and Information Officer respectively, lamented that despite the “massive support Ijaw people gave to Okpebholo across the five Ijaw clans in the state,” not a single appointment has been given to the Ijaw speaking people in the state.

The statement which was made available to newsmen in Benin on Tuesday, said that the “conspicuously absent of Ijaw man or woman in the State Executive Council,” gives credence to their claim.

The IYC, while stating that “we state this not out of bitterness or entitlement, but as a call for fairness, equity, and justice,” emphasized that “despite our enormous contributions to the state’s treasury through natural and human resources, Edo Ijaws remain conspicuously absent in the State Executive Council.”

The statement reads: “It is important to remind the Governor that the Ijaw nation mobilised massive support across the five Ijaw clans in Edo State to ensure his victory at the polls.

“Our voice was loud, our mobilisation was firm, and our votes counted significantly toward the success of this administration.

“Regrettably, one year after, this government has not deemed it necessary to appoint a single individual from the Ijaw extraction, nor has it addressed the glaring infrastructure deficit in our communities and also left our traditional issues unattented to.”

The statement noted that “the Ijaw areas are the bedrock of the state’s oil wealth, the same wealth that qualifies Edo State as an oil-producing state and entitles it to the 13% derivation fund. Yet, there is no visible reflection of this revenue in our communities.”

“We state this not out of bitterness or entitlement, but as a call for fairness, equity, and justice.”

The IYC, therefore, urged the governor to “have a rethink so it doesn’t take to another form of agitation in the state where we contribute.”

News

EPL: Arteta Gives Update On Havertz, Saliba, Gabriel, Others

Published

3 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has provided the latest update on four of his players ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Brentford on Wednesday.

The four players are Kai Havertz, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães and Leandro Trossard.

Arteta’s side will host Brentford in a Premier League tie at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.

Arsenal head to the game following a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in their last game over the weekend.

“Kai Havertz is still weeks away,” Arteta said at his pre-match press conference as quoted by Fabrizio Romano on Tuesday.

“We are all desperate to have him. I mean, it is a player that, personally, I love so much for what he brings to the team – his character, his personality. I see him suffer, being outside.

“Gabriel Magalhães is doing very well, but it will take weeks to see him back.

“For William Saliba and Leandro Trossard, hopefully it’s a matter of days.

“For Saliba, this one is very bizarre injury… but hopefully it will be a short time out.”

News

BREAKING: Tinubu Nominates New Defence Minister

Published

5 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, rtd, as the new Minister of Defence.

In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu disclosed Musa’s nomination as the successor to Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, who resigned on Monday.

Musa served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. He won the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.

Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa received his primary and secondary education there before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria.

He graduated in 1986 and enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation in 1991.