Metro

Residents, ‘Ogogoro’ Traders Panic As Erosion Hits Delta community

Published

2 years ago

July 16, 2023

Residents and traders of Bomadi-Overside community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State have called on Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to intervene and arrest the frequent erosion ravaging the commercial hub of the council area, which is on verge of being washed away by the dreadful phenomenon.

Calling on both the state and federal governments, landlords, residents and traders on the locally-made gin, popularly known as Ogogoro, appealed to Gov. Oborevwori and the management of NDDC to make haste to avoid catastrophe befalling the community.

Mr Peter Oseghe, who spoke to Vanguard on behalf of Bomadi-Overside landlords, narrated the impact of the River Dragon on residents of the community, noting that they were living in fear, particularly during the night hours when everybody is asleep.

He said: “We are living in absolute fear because the incident occurs every month now. Initially, it was not so when I came to this place, but now we’re experiencing continuous erosion phenomena eating deep into our land and houses.

“I am a landlord and when I built my house years back, the coastline was far away, we walked a long distance to fetch water from the river. But now, my house is very close to the shore and we’re living in fear, my tenants and I cannot have a good sleep during the night hours.

“So, we are appealing to Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori and the management of NDDC to make haste to come to our aid because anything can happen anytime, most especially in this flood season coupled with the rains.

“We have made individual efforts to curb the situation but it is beyond our control, government should intervene to either pile the waterfront or construct a seawall to arrest the situation”.

However, findings by Vanguard revealed that, if urgent steps are not taken by appropriate authorities to curb the situation, Bomadi-Overside, which is the commercial hub and cosmopolitan community in the local government area, will be washed away with the frequency of occurrences of the incident.

Mr Tinto Eniekezimene and Mrs Gbebe, speaking on behalf of Ogogoro Union traders, however, disclosed that countless houses had been washed away by erosion over the years.

“We have lost countless houses to this erosion, we cannot count them because the waterfront you see here was far away from this place years back. Mr Gabriel’s house has also been washed away and we cannot continue to fold our arms to watch anymore.

“We observed that the river current is directly facing this side, eating deep into the land while there is sandbank across the river.

“The apparent solution to this situation is to dredge the sand from across the river to this side and to either pile the waterfront or build a seawall to control it.

“This is beyond our capacity and that is why we’re crying to Gov. Oborevwori and the federal government to come and help us out of this dreadful situation.

“Delay is dangerous in this issue as the occurrences this year alone have taken much of our land and still encroaching as we are speaking to you”, they said.

Metro

Man Stabs Colleague To Death In Lagos Over Money Dispute

Published

3 hours ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

A deadly confrontation occurred on Wednesday in the Mandilas area of Lagos Island, leaving one person dead after a stabbing incident.

The Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, through CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, Police Public Relations Officer, clarified in a statement made available to The PUNCH that there was no tribal clash or ethnic conflict at Balogun Market, where the incident took place.

According to the police, “The Lagos State Police Command hereby wish to inform the general public that there was no tribal clash or disturbance between any ethnic groups and others inside Balogun Market today.

“There was an incident of a free-for-all fight between some hoodlums and miscreants in the Balogun Market in the early hours of today at around 11 am.

“During the fight, one Ebuka Adindu from Abia State stabbed one Sodiq Ibrahim from Kogi State to death, and the said Ebuka Adindu in turn stabbed himself on the shoulder and became unconscious. He is currently under arrest in the hospital, where he is being treated.

“Investigation into the matter will be concluded, and he will be prosecuted after he has been discharged from the hospital. There was no loss of innocent lives or injury to any person or damage to the goods and properties of marketers inside Balogun Market.”

The police emphasised that no innocent lives were lost beyond the victim, no other injuries were reported, and there was no damage to goods or property at the market.

Normalcy has been restored, and residents and traders have been urged to continue their activities without fear.

Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, called on residents to remain law-abiding and cooperate with the police to sustain peace in the state, stressing that Lagos remains generally peaceful.

Eyewitnesses said the conflict began as a disagreement between the two men over the division of money from a recent job. The argument escalated, resulting in the fatal stabbing.

Bystanders reportedly restrained the attacker before handing him over to authorities. Tensions briefly flared again when friends of the deceased protested, but order was quickly restored.

Metro

Police Rescue 16 Kidnap Victims Along Benin-Lagos Road

Published

3 hours ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has rescued 16 kidnapped victims in a series of coordinated operations along the Benin–Lagos and Benin–Akure highways.

Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday, noting that the operations followed separate incidents on August 23, 2025, when armed kidnappers blocked sections of the highways and abducted several travellers.

According to the statement, distress calls prompted the swift mobilisation of operatives from the Iguobazuwa and Ekiadolor Divisions, supported by tactical teams, local vigilantes, and hunters. The teams embarked on intensive bush-combing operations to track the abductors and free the victims.

It was noted in the statement that the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, personally led the operation along the Benin–Akure axis, deploying drones and other technical support to enhance precision.

“Six victims were rescued along the Benin–Akure Road, including one with a gunshot injury who is now receiving treatment. Three more victims were freed on the Benin–Lagos Road, while an additional seven regained their freedom on August 25,” the statement read.

Agbonika commended the operatives, vigilantes, and local hunters for their collaboration, stressing that the partnership between security agencies and communities remains vital in tackling violent crime.

He assured the public that efforts are ongoing to rescue remaining victims and apprehend the perpetrators, adding that the command would continue to deploy human and technological resources to secure Edo highways.

Metro

Suspected Cultists Invade Rivers Compound, Rob Students, Residents

Published

3 hours ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

Suspected cultists on Wednesday attacked a residential compound at Ekwulobia Street in the Mile 3 area of Diobu, Port Harcourt, breaking into tenants’ rooms and stealing valuables.

Two of the victims were female university students in the state.

Stolen items included laptops, mobile phones, and other personal belongings.

It was gathered that the gang, reportedly led by a man named Graham, gained access to the compound by breaking a back window and removing the iron protector.

One of the victims, David Eze, who lives on the second floor, narrated the ordeal to newsmen, saying he and other tenants are now living in fear.

He said, “I live upstairs on the second floor. Around 4 a.m., I woke up and found that my two phones and laptop were missing. I didn’t hear anything during the night, so I suspect they came in quietly.

“When I stepped out to raise the alarm, I discovered that other tenants had also been robbed.

“My door had been pierced with a knife, and someone had manipulated the lock to gain entry. They took my laptop and phones. By the time I came downstairs, security personnel and my co-tenants were already outside, reporting the incident.”

Similarly, a female resident who identified herself as Chidinma recounted a terrifying encounter

“Last night (Tuesday), I woke up to a noise and saw a young man standing beside my bed with a knife. He told me not to shout, threatening to stab me if I did. I was very scared.

“He took my phone and my brother’s two phones before leaving. It felt unreal, like a dream,” she said.

Our correspondent gathered that the hoodlums broke into four rooms in total, making away with five mobile phones, one laptop, and an unspecified amount of cash.

Two kitchen knives were left behind when the criminals fled after being chased by members of a local vigilante group who arrived at the scene.

Residents confirmed that the incident had been reported to the Azikiwe Police Division, Illabouchi, in Mile 2, Diobu.

When contacted, the Rivers State Police Command spokesperson, Grace Iringe Koko, said she would follow up with the Divisional Police Officer and provide feedback.

As of Wednesday evening, no update had been received.