…urges him not to bow to pressure to pull out personnel from the area

…wants government to investigate those behind such pressure

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo 

The natives of Okomu in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State have commended the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army led by Brigadier General Ebenezer Olusesan Oduyebo, for the sustenance of peace in the community and its environs.

Speaking to INFO DAILY on behalf of the community, the Ibe Uyadonwei of Okomu Kingdom, Chief Edwin Denmene, said if not for the efforts of the Brigadier General and his men, Okomu would be a conquerred territory in the hand of one Lawrence Yanbor and his gang.

INFO DAILY recalled that Lawrence Yanbor and his gang on 13 May, 2024 invaded Okomu community in the night and razed down over 30 modern structures in the community. Lawrence Yanbor, alongside his cohorts also held the community to ransom and on one of the occasions precisely 7 June, 2024, shot the paramount ruler of the kingdom.

Chief Denmene who noted that the “Brigadier General has been so professional and has not been biased or taken side in the matter,” urged him to continue the good work.

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Also commending the 4 Brigade personnel for a work well done, the Ibe Egberigbawei (spokesman) of Okomu Kingdom, Chief Freeman Cousin, noted that if not for the military personnel stationed in the area, Okomu would have been amongst the committee of communities under the watchlist of the state government for cultism and kidnapping, alleging that Lawrence Yanbor and his gang are culprits.

Chief Cousin, who alleged that there have been plans by some influential persons to pressure the Commander of the 4 Brigade to pull out his men from the area, urged Brigadier General Oduyebo not to bow to such pressure no matter how highly placed such pressure may be coming from.

“We have been hearing that some influential persons, specifically sponsors of Lawrence Yanbor and his gang are pressuring the 4 Brigade and Abuja to pull out the military personnel from the area. We want to passionately appeal to the 4 Brigade General and the people in Abuja not to bow to such pressure. He has been doing fantastically well, and we appreciate it, so he shouldn’t bow to such pressure,” he pleaded.

Corroborating Chief Cousin’s allegation, Hon. Amokachi Peretei, who also commended the Brigadier General Oduyebo and his men for the maintenance of peace in the community and its environs, expressed the fear that if the Commander bowed to such pressure and pulled out his men from the area, Okomu would become history.

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“They want the military personnel to leave the area so they can perpetrate their evil works by attacking the community particularly those they perceive as their enemies. If the military personnel leave Okomu and its environs, no one is safe,” he added.

On his part, Chief Rickson Nanaghan called on the government “both federal and state to investigate those lobbing for the pulling out of the military personnel in the area, and not only investigation, the government should bring them to justice.”

Also lending his voice, Comrade Samson Yanbor, an indigene of the community who made reference to how Lawrence Yanbor and his gang gave a seven-day ultimatum to the Yoruba farmers in the area to vacate recently, noted that if not for the presence of the military, Lawrence Yanbor would have succeeded, adding that he would have used that opportunity to loot and burn down houses.

“Recently, Lawrence Yanbor gave the Yoruba farmers an ultimatum to vacate the area. He said he had an operation to carry out so they should leave the area. When did Lawrence become government that he should be giving an ultimatum to a people to leave a particular area so that he can carry out his operation? Is he government? Besides, which operation does he have to carry out that he had the audacity to tell a people to leave, if not for looting,” Samson Yanbor questioned.

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Also speaking, Dr Atele Biriodoubrah. The Ibe-Bolowoniwei of Okomu Kingdom, on behalf of the kingdom pleaded to the Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo to replicate what did in Ehor, Edo State, in Okomu by establishing Forward Operating Base (FOB) in the area.

“We need a Forward Operational Base in the area. We, therefore, plead to Governor Monday Okpebholo to help us establish a Forward Operational Base (FOB) in our community as he has done for the people of Ehor in the state,”  he said.

He named Opuba as the hiding place for Lawrence Yanbor and his gang, urging the military and other security agencies to look into this direction.

Roche Diagnostics has officially launched its new legal diagnostics entity in Nigeria, marking a major step in the company’s strategic push to expand access to high-quality in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) across the African continent.

The move aligns with Roche’s 10-Year Diagnostics Strategy for Africa, which aims to increase access to diagnostics tenfold. With over 70 years of experience on the continent, Roche is leveraging its expertise in infrastructure development, systems optimization, workforce training, and capacity building to improve healthcare outcomes in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Africa carries 25% of the global disease burden but receives just 1% of the global health budget and comprises only 3% of the world’s health workforce. Roche says its investment in Nigeria is designed to help reverse this imbalance by fostering partnerships with local governments and funding institutions to strengthen the healthcare ecosystem.

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The new legal entity will allow Roche Diagnostics to work more directly with healthcare providers and customers, improving supply chain efficiency and deepening collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders. The goal, according to the company, is to support Nigeria’s journey toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

“We are creating a more responsive diagnostics ecosystem by working closely with local stakeholders,” said Roberto Taboada, Country Manager, Roche Diagnostics, Africa. “This is a significant step towards achieving sustainable healthcare transformation in Nigeria.”

The Nigerian office will also serve as a regional hub for Roche’s operations in Anglophone West Africa, enabling quicker access to diagnostic solutions across multiple countries.

“We strengthen our role in delivering innovative diagnostics solutions that improve healthcare outcomes for more patients where it is needed most,” added Jonathan Keytel, Director of Strategy and Innovation, Roche Diagnostics, Africa. “Nigeria is a critical market, and this investment supports our long-term vision for healthcare in Africa.”

Roche, founded in 1896, is a global leader in in-vitro diagnostics and the world’s largest biotechnology company. The firm continues to pioneer advances in personalized healthcare, striving to discover and develop medical solutions that save and improve lives worldwide.

By Israel Adebiyi

Once upon a time in the thickest part of the forest, a great meeting of animals was convened. The air was tense, filled with murmurs of resentment and fear. They had grown weary of the Elephant’s dominance — his size, his gait, his booming voice, and the way his presence silenced even the most ferocious of beasts. The Lion had long been dethroned, the Leopard stripped of pride, and even the cunning Hyena bowed to the Elephant’s imposing might.

At this council, it was the tortoise — slow, sly, and always underestimated — who stood up. With eyes full of schemes and a voice seasoned in deceit, he proposed a plan that would end the Elephant’s reign for good. “Let us honour him,” he said, “let us give him a grand throne to rule all animals. Let us throw a feast, dance in his name, and crown him king of the jungle.”

The animals, tired of their own irrelevance, agreed. A giant pit was dug at the centre of the forest, wide and deep. It was covered with palm fronds and animal skins, carefully layered and painted red — a royal carpet fit for a king. The tortoise led the way in song and celebration, guiding the unsuspecting Elephant to his doom.

Adorned in beads and royal robes, flanked by flutes and drums, the Elephant danced. Each step echoed pride. Each sway of his trunk was joy. And then — with a mighty crash — he fell. Into the pit. Into betrayal. The animals roared with laughter. The tortoise bowed.

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This tale — told in Yoruba homes under moonlit skies — was never just for children. It was a lesson. A warning. And perhaps, a mirror for today’s political theatre.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Elephant of the Nigerian political forest, now finds himself at the centre of a curious dance. From governors to senators, former foes to aggrieved party men, there is a sudden procession — one not entirely unfamiliar. They sing his praises, adorn him with words of loyalty, and march in celebratory rhythm around the corridors of Aso Rock. But history, like folklore, carries memory.

From PDP to Labour, NNPP to APGA, there’s been an unsettling alignment towards the All Progressives Congress (APC) — the president’s power base. Men who once labeled him unfit are now eager visitors. Leaders who swore never to align with his politics now post his photos with glowing captions. In their eyes, it seems, 2027 is closer than it appears.

But the president must beware. For while there is strength in numbers, Nigerian politics has never been about the crowd — it is about the quality of the company. The road to the pit is always paved with song, loyalty, and red carpets. The very men dancing today may be the ones who dig tomorrow’s betrayal.

The political elite in Nigeria are not bound by ideology or people’s needs. They are often driven by proximity to power and preservation of influence. Their movements from party to party are less about national interest and more about personal survival. To be surrounded by them is not strength — it is vulnerability.

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President Tinubu, rightly celebrated for his strategic acumen, must not forget that the most dangerous players are those who clap the loudest. His court is swelling, but so is the deception that could come with it. This is not paranoia. This is Nigeria — where betrayal is part of the game.

The history of our democracy is littered with “friendly foes” — men who sang songs of praise only to write memos of mutiny. From the days of Obasanjo to Jonathan and Buhari, sycophancy has often been the most deceptive form of opposition.

It is one thing to be a master chess player. It is another to recognize when your bishops and knights are actually playing for the other side.

The caution here is not to isolate the president, but to remind him — and indeed Nigerians — that sustainable governance cannot be built on praise alone. The same governors defecting now had opportunities to build their states, yet left schools in decay, hospitals in ruins, and roads as death traps. Their loyalty to the people was questionable then; their sudden loyalty to the president should be doubly questioned now.

Yes, there is room for reconciliation. Yes, we must build inclusive politics. But inclusiveness must never come at the cost of discernment. The president must separate the genuine from the opportunist, the builder from the bandwagoner, and above all, the ally from the actor.

Nigeria deserves governance rooted in truth — not a palace of mirrors where everyone smiles while sharpening their knives.

So, as the drums get louder and the parade swells, the Elephant must walk carefully. The tortoise still plots. The pit still waits. And the red carpet — as always — hides more than just dust.