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Oke- Oroma, Amagba Impasse: AIG Sues For Peace, Sets To Investigate Alleged Murder, Incessant Invasion

Published

4 years ago

September 3, 2020

Editor

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone Five, AIG, Dibal Yakadi, has admonished those feuding the lingering hostilities between Oke-oroma and Amagba Villages to discontinue and maintain peace.

AIG Yakadi in a meeting held recent in his office, in Benin City, Between the warring Communities said, he had been mandated by the Inspector-General of Police, to carryout full Investigations on a reported allegations of incessant attacks unleashed on Oke-Oroma by Amagba village.

He noted that in the course of the nvestigations, who ever is found wanting would be charged to court and prosecuted.

The AIG informed the August gathering that, he was mandated to look into the lingering feud and murder, based on the petitions and clarion calls for justice from Oke-Oroma preferred against Amagba village.

His words, “I have been mandated to look into the prolonged crisis in your community and profer peace in the end. We are also ready to investigate the course of the tension and prosecute or Charge to court offenders when necessary. During the Course of our Investigations i enjoin all to make peace”.

Recall that, in 2017, 2018 and repeatedly February this year, Amagba community was accused to have forcefully invaded Oke-Oroma community with the intention of taking over their lands.

However, it was reported across multiple sources that, the daring invasion which was earlier repealed was later carried out again and this time, no fewer than six persons lost their lives, including an octogenarian.

The 85-year-old man from Esan extract, had relocated to Oke-Oroma community many decades ago and had his children and grandchildren brought up in the community.

On eye witness account, Pa Monday Okhulegbe was unable to run when the suspected hoodlums invaded the community, killing also an underage girl of 6-year-old on that tensed day.

The community was brought to ground zero with many of the villagers abandoning their homes.

With a tensed air hovering around the community, the displaced villagers had continued their daily protests against the inhumane treatment allegedly melted on them by Amagba community despite refuting it lateron.

Angry protesters had staged another protest against the forceful invasion of Oke-Oroma community at the palace of the Oba of Benin.

The protesters who thronged the palace in their numbers had called on the attention of the palace over their terrible ordeal which left no fewer than six dead and properties destroyed.

Aftermath of petitions by the displaced Oroma people, it was neccessiated that, for the first time the Inspector-General of Police mandated the AIG in charge of Zone five to find a lasting ways to abate subsequent occurrence.

In his first step, some key actors from both villages were invited for the meeting.

From Amagba, were, Pa Joseph Iduoriyekemwen ( Odionwere Of Amagba) Hon Matthew A Iduoriyekemwen, Peter IRHIOMWEN Erhimwinose popularly know as Ebo Amagba/Yellow man and Ovie Nikogbasie.

From Oke-Oroma side, Gaius Emokpae the odionwere designate, led O Uwaifo, Isaac Momoh, Osaru Okulegbe, Wilfred Ebohon Emokpae, Nosakhare Oyemwemina, Osasu Osadolor, and Sylvester Obayuwana.

Others invited but conspicuously absent were, Joshua Edo Arasomwan Uwuigbe, Peter Enoghayin and Johnbull Omoma.

At the Zone Five, interviews were conducted with respondents speaking on the genesis of the crisis.

Oke-Oroma Leaders who were given the floor narrated, what they claimed, was the genesis of the war of attrition and annihilation.

They accused Amagba community to have executed with brutal efficiency, their expansionist ambition as was done in the past to other neighbouring villages like UGBOR, Evbukhu, Ogunmwenyin, Uhunvboke, (Ago Uwagboe), and Ogheghe.

During the meeting, it was also mentioned that, Soldiers were now in Oke-Oroma maintaining peace and Order after the crisis that sent the inhabitant scampering for their lives.

In his response, the Odionwere, Pa Joseph Iduoriyekemwen averred that, one Gaius Emokpae visited him at home in early 2018 to discuss peaceful way forward.

On his part, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen spoke extensively at length trying to absolve himself from all the various and vicarious allegations against him.

Meanwhile, a team of Police emissaries from Zone Five, alongside Okoroma and Agbama teams visited three villages yesterday to make on the spot assessments of February 19, 2020, attack.

It was gathered that, during the assessment, a vehicle belonging to one Ebohon Wilfred Emokpae an indegine of Oke-Oroma was attacked by suspected hoodlums from Obazagbon village, a stone thrown from the restive community as the three unarmed Police officers detailed for the assessment watch on helplesslesly.

According to the victim who cheated death by the wisker, “they were in Okoroma successfully but on getting to nearby Obazagbon village, my vehicle was attacked. They dragged me out and gave me the beating of my life”.

“It started even in the presence of the three unarmed police leading them. Many of Amagba and Obazagbon youths with short short guns were in the scene”.

Luckily, there was a soldier from my village following them. His intervention prevented what would have led to heavy casualties of numerous souls.

He further said, “Amagba Peter IRHIOMWEN Erhimwinose also known as Yellow man was there, Joshua Edo was there, Amagba Vice Chairman, Arosomwan Uwuigbe too. Obazagbon Vice Chairman Omozusi who was the Principal actor led the unexpected assaults on Okoroma team.

“Many of the youths carried short guns. The objective of visiting the scene of destructions of the three villages has not been completed as only one(Okoroma) was done”.

Arguably, the recent development is an indication that Amagba and Obazagbon were never ready for peaceful resolutions as they violently prevented the police from recording the evil destructions they did in February 19, 2020.

Despite making contact with the Zone 5 Image maker, SP, Emeka Iheanacho Over the incident, however, no statements have been released yet by the Police Operatives on the recent development, since a complain was incidented by the victim, as investigation continues.

News

JUST IN: Tinubu Appoints Governing Board Members For 111 Tertiary Institutions

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointments of at least 555 persons to serve as Pro-chancellors/Chairmen and members of Governing Boards of 111 federal universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

This followed Tinubu’s assent to a list of nominees selected by the Ministry of Education.

An advertorial by the Education Ministry sighted by The PUNCH showed the appointment of a chairperson and four members for each of the institutions.

It was signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack.

“The inauguration and retreat for the Governing Councils will take place on Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31, 2024, at the National Universities Commission, 26 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja. Both events will commence at 9:00am daily,” said Walson-Jack.

When contacted for confirmation, the Presidency said the list emanated from the Ministry of Education.

“This is from the Federal Ministry of Education…they make the nominations and forward them to the President to sign. But they are at liberty to release it from their end,” the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, told The PUNCH on Sunday.

The appointments come days after the Academic Staff Union of Universities had threatened to embark on another strike, potentially disrupting the academic calendar and causing further setbacks in the country’s higher education sector.

The union, on Tuesday, decried the failure of the Federal Government to appoint Governing Councils for federal universities.

The union also faulted what it described as the nonchalant attitude of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to matters about academics in federal universities.

The body of academics, during a briefing at the University of Abuja, also faulted the 35 per cent salary increment for professors and the 25 per cent salary increment for other academics in the university system.

News

HOMEF Applauds NASS On Decision To Investigate GMOs In Nigeria

Published

4 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

…says Nigeria needs to prioritise public health

Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and the GMO-Free Nigeria
Alliance have commended the House of Representatives on the resolution to comprehensively investigate the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into Nigeria and for a halt on approval of new products
pending the completion of that investigation.

This is as the House of Representatives also urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ensure labelling of GM crops already in the country.

The House resolution to investigate the introduction of GMOs into Nigeria followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Muktar Shagaya at a plenary session held on Thursday 16th May 2024.

In a statement made available to INFO DAILY Kome Odhomor, Media/Communication Lead, HOMEF, the Executive Director of the organisation, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, said ass the lawmaker rightly explained, the introduction of GMOs in Nigeria raises serious concerns about safety, regulatory oversight, and their potential impacts on the country’s biosafety.

He noted that the investigation which has been long “overdue is vital to save the country from the dangerous path to food colonialism, contamination of our genetic resources, loss of
biodiversity/nutritional diversity, soil degradation, and overall
disruption of our agriculture and food systems.”

Bassey continued: “This investigation must be unbiased and thorough. To ensure this, the National Assembly should engage independent researchers to avoid contamination of the process by GMO promoters.

“This investigation should consider Nigeria’s agricultural landscape and investigate the underlying
causes of hunger/food insecurity and as well establish definite measures to address those issues. This is the time to rescue Nigerians from being used for risky experimentations.”

The Executive Director also stressed the need for critical examination of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act for its fitness for purpose.

He further added: “That law needs to be completely reworked to close existing loopholes including the composition of its governing/decision making board by excluding GMO promoters such as the National Biotechnology Development Agency; the lack of provision on strict liability, inadequate public consultation measures, absolute decision-making powers of the agency, minimal reference to the precautionary principal and many others.

“This was the submission of Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, Food Sovereignty Activist and Deputy Executive Director at Friends of the Earth Nigeria.”

Also reacting to the Green Chamber’s call on NAFDAC to label GMO crops in the country, HOMEF’s Director of Programmes and lead on Hunger Politics, Joyce Brown, noted that the agency will need to devise strategies to have foods sold in local markets in basins, by the road sides, and in processed forms like Ogi and Akara labelled to ensure informed decision-making by the majority of people who purchase food from these sources.

“This exercise will prove that GMOs do not fit our socio-economic context. Over the years, market shelf surveys conducted by HOMEF has revealed over 50 different processed/packaged foods labelled as produced using genetically modified ingredients,” she added.

Brown advised that permits for commercialisation of GMO products such as Bt Cowpea, Tela Maize, Bt Corn and all others be suspended pending the result of the investigation by the House Committee on Agriculture and others.

The statement reaffirmed the submission by Rep. Shagaya that there’s need to prioritise public health, biodiversity, increased support of small holder farmers in terms of extension service, provision of infrastructure (to curtail waste), access to credits, access to land and the growth of our local economy.

“Nigeria should adopt agroecological farming which aligns well with our socio economic and socio cultural
context. Agroecology delivers increased productivity and economic resilience, revises/nourishes ecosystems, strengthens local economies, mitigates climate change and promotes food sovereignty,” the statement concluded.

News

Mother Of Five Jailed For Forging Late Abba Kyari’s Signature

Published

12 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

A mother of five, Ramat Mba, has been sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, Abuja, for her involvement in an employment scam.

Ramat who was also found guilty of forging the signature of the late Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, was arraigned before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on a 5-count bordering on cheating, fraud and forgery, contrary to Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Sections 320(b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

She reportedly committed the offence sometime in 2020 when she collected N4.5 million from several job seekers, promising to secure jobs for them with the ICPC and National Air Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

Also, the documentary evidence tendered showed that the convict fraudulently forged the letterhead of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Buhari and his signature. The letter, addressed to the ICPC Chairman, was a request for the recruitment of three individuals by the commission.

However, the late CoS, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as an exhibit, distanced himself or his office from authorising the letter.

Commenting on the sentencing, spokesperson for the ICPC, Demola Bakare said;

“The trial judge, Justice Muhammad, in his judgment on May 9, 2024, convicted the mother of five children on counts 1, 2, 3 and 5 that border on cheating and forgery, while she was discharged on count 4 which borders on felony.

“Justice Muhammad, during the sentencing on Thursday, pronounced a six-month jail term or N100,000 option of fine on counts 1, 2 and 3 on the convict.

“The presiding judge, who stressed the status of the convict as a first-time offender and a mother, also sentenced her to one-year imprisonment or N150,000 option on fine on count 5 which borders on forgery.”