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Rescue Us From Incessant Attack, Land Encroachment, Oke-Oroma Community Begs Edo Govt, Others

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People of Oke-Oroma community in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State have appealed to the state government and other concerned authorities to rescue them from an incessant attack they alleged carried out on them by Amagba community.

In a visit to the community, it was observed that recent attack on the community resulted in burning down of over 15 vehicles and numerous buildings in the community estimated at millions of naira.

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Interior of Mr. Monday’s building burnt down during the crisis

Though nomalcy is returning to the community as commercial activities are gradually picking up, it was learnt that it took the effort of Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, to order stationing of a military checkpoint before the last attack on the community was checkmated.

READ ALSO: Police Arrest Woman For Allegedly Conspiring With Lover To Kill Ex-boyfriend

Taking newsmen round the damaged property in an inception, Pa Richard Emokpae, Acting Odionwere of the community, said they were going about their normal businesses on the 20th of February this year when people he alleged to have come from Amagba in Oredo LGA of the state attacked them.

He noted that though land dispute between Amagba and Oke-Oroma started year 2012, the then Oba Erediauwa settled the dispute by declaring that Amagba land does not extend to the community, and that he warned them not to trespass yet they have continue to attack them, stressing that the attack occured even in 2017.

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Carcass of cars burnt down by the attackers at Oke-Oroma community

The Acting Odiowere added that the Oba then declared that Oke-Oroma is an autonomous community and that Amagba and other neighbouring communities land does not extend beyond Oroma river (the land boundary) yet they have turned deaf hear to the declaration and attack them over the land.

READ ALSO: Edo 2020: Ogeimwonyi Collapses Structure, Declares Support For Ize-Iyamu

” From time in memorial, Oke-Oroma community has never been under any community; our community is an autonomous community, and we have a natural boundary which is Oroma river. Oroma river is the natural boundary between our community and Amagba.

” But unfortunately Amagba came to invade us, and in the process many structures were destroyed while vehicles were burnt. The Oba of Benin has once again declared that Amagba does not own any land across the river, but the Invaders are not at rest, they do come to invade us every day, and we have lost several people in the battle.

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” This recent attack one took place on the 20th of February this year.
The attack lasted for more than two weeks.They were shooting indiscriminately that many of us ran into the bush and spent days there,” the Acting Odionwere said.

READ ALSO: Mobile Court Convicts 2 Traders To Community Service For Frading In An Unauthorized Place In Benin

Also speaking to newsmen, one of the victims of the attack, Mr. Monday Imagbenikaro said he was in the morning that faithful day with his family when he started hearing gunshots and some men came to his house and shot indiscriminately, killing his four foreign dogs and left.

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Building damaged during the crisis

He added that they came for the second time and pulled his gate down after which they damaged his property in the premises including his three cars, just as he stressed that they came for the third time and forced themselves into the building and brought out him and shot him on the legs without asking any question.”

” My wife came back home to tell me that some police men at the river side said to her and the driver to go back, and that there was a crisis in the community and they want to settle it. I then said if that should be the case we should lock ourselves inside. As we just did that, the next thing, I started hearing gunshots. Before I knew what was happening, they came to my house and shot all my dogs; they fell my gate, and left.

READ ALSO: Court Reserves Sentence Of 24-year-old Man, Who Pleaded Guilty Of Theft

” As they left, I thought it was over, so I came out but saw a lot of people in the community with guns, I then said within myself it was not over yet, I then went inside again. After some hours, they came again, entered my house, damaged things including my 3 cars, and they were even arguing if they should set fire on my generator, but someone said it was not yet time for that, but they must destroy something, and they destroyed everything and left again.

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” The third time again they came at about 6pm and started banging on my main door. They forced themselves in and brought me out. Without asking any question, they first shot me on my two legs and I was on the floor. A guy brought out pump action and was about shooting me when I started pleading that my wife is pregnant and that they should allow me see my inborn baby.

” They brought my wife out and saw her. But one said they should kill me, the man that brought my wife out however said this man said his wife is pregnant and he wants to see his unborn baby, you still want to kill him, please let him be. They there after brought out my driver, and I started pleading that he is my driver that they shouldn’t kill him. And that was how they ordered him to take me to hospital, and that no one else will touch us, and that was how myself and the entire family left.”

According to him, when all this was going, they questioned him why he didn’t buy land from Amagba community but Oke-Oroma, and that Amagba owns the community and the land therein.

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READ ALSO: NRC Committed To Rescuing Edo From Political Captors – National Chair

” But before they ordered my driver to take me to hospital, They questioned me why did I not buy land from Amagba but Oke-Oroma, that I suppose not to buy land from the community but Amagba, and that Amagba owns the community.

Another building damaged

Effort to take Amagba’s reaction proved abortive as one of the community leaders who ought to speak to our correspondent said on phone that he was in Lagos and that he cannot say anything as regards the allegation via phone.

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First Female Lawyer In Mid-West Region Is Dead

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First female lawyer in the old Mid-West region, Grace Ogbemi, is dead.

She died in Lagos at the age of 89 just a week before her 90th birthday.

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Before her death, she was a successful Itsekiri businessman and politician.

Born in Warri July 11, 1935 to Chief Reece Edukugho, Madam Grace Ogbemi was called to the English Bar in 1958, becoming the first female lawyer in the Mid-West Region, now Edo and Delta states.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Olubadan, Oba Olakulehin, Is Dead

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She was a partner in the law firm of Godfrey Amachree Ogbemi & Co.

She got married to Franklin Ogbemi, a Chartered Engineer.

She died on July 5, 2025.

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Why We Refused To Vote, Opted For Football – Lagos Youths

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While election officials and stakeholders made repeated calls for civic participation in the ongoing local government polls in Lagos, some young residents of Alausa, Ikeja, chose football over voting.

Between 9am and 2pm on Saturday, during the peak of the electioneering process, groups of youths were seen at three different spots in Alausa engrossed in football matches instead of heading to polling units.

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When approached by our correspondent, many of them cited a lack of trust in the electoral outcome as the reason for staying away from the polls.

“You can’t force me to vote. I chose to play ball, and why will I vote?” said Ayomikun Ola, one of the youths.

READ ALSO: What May Change As Lagos Tenancy Bill Passes Second Reading

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Another young man, Opeyemi Omoemi, was blunt in his response: “We all know that it’s the APC that wins all, as usual. So there is no need for me to disturb myself.”

Wasiu, also found on the field, said, “Bro, there is no need. I am satisfied with the football than the vote.”

Bayo, who joined the game, explained that he was underage. “I haven’t clocked 18, that’s why I didn’t vote. The best is to play football,” he said.

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A young woman, Seriki Ganiyat, attending to customers at her shop nearby, said she could not afford to leave her business for the election.

READ ALSO: LASIEC Releases Validated Candidates’ List Gor Lagos LG Polls

It’s not necessary. I have children to feed. Imagine if I had to leave my shop to go and vote. What for and what will my children eat this night?” she asked.

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Their views reflect a broader pattern of low voter turnout and widespread apathy observed across many polling units.

At Polling Unit 003, Ward 7, only 61 out of 1,000 registered voters had voted as of 1:05pm.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Vote Counting Begins In Yaba

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Similarly, at PU 007 of the same ward, only 30 people had cast their ballots by 1pm., while PU 031 had recorded just four voters out of 29 by 1:12 p.m.

At PU 026, only one voter had shown up out of 21 registered. PU 027 recorded just five votes from 62 registered voters by 1:43pm.

In Ward F, PU 011, 45 voters turned up from a total of 908. PU 085 had no votes cast at all by 1:45pm, despite having four registered voters.

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Ward C’s PU 004, with 913 registered voters, recorded just 30 ballots as of 1:47pm. At Ward F, PU 036, only 50 out of 986 had voted by 1:51pm.
(PUNCH)

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JUST IN: Vote Counting Begins In Yaba

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Vote counting has officially commenced at Polling Unit 024 in Ward B, Makoko area of Yaba, Lagos, marking the winding down of the 2025 local government election across the state.

However, the conclusion of the poll has been overshadowed by a pervasive low voter turnout, raising questions about the exercise’s overall impact.

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The lack of voter enthusiasm could impact the credibility and inclusiveness of the exercise,” an election observer noted, reflecting a sentiment shared by many watching the democratic process unfold.

READ ALSO: Lagos Police Deploys 30,000 Officers For LG Polls

This concern comes as officials at Polling Unit 002, located in the same Ward B, continued to await the arrival of voters even as counting began elsewhere.

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Despite a generally peaceful atmosphere reported across various polling units, voter turnout remained significantly low in many parts of Yaba.

At Ward F, 012, situated along Iwaya Road, voting was still ongoing as of press time, with officials describing the turnout as notably lower than anticipated.

READ ALSO: LASIEC Releases Validated Candidates’ List Gor Lagos LG Polls

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Similar reports echoed from other sections of Iwaya, where Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission officials observed a sluggish pace of voting activity throughout the day.

In contrast, Ward G at St. Timothy College presented a more active scene, with multiple polling units—including 001, 002, 003, 004, and 005—conducting voting in an orderly manner.

This provided a glimpse of the organised process, even amidst the broader challenges of voter engagement.

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Election observers, while commending the largely calm and disruption-free process, reiterated their concerns that the palpable lack of voter enthusiasm could indeed impact the credibility and inclusiveness of the local government elections.

LASIEC officials have continued their efforts to encourage eligible voters to come out and cast their ballots before the scheduled close of voting at 3pm.
(PUNCH)

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