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REVEALED! Over 150,000 Houses Built On Edo Government Land

Published

3 months ago

May 22, 2025

A shocking revelation of how individuals and communities have illegally taken over Edo State government lands for their personal and other uses has been revealed.

Eugene Okoloise, State Coordinator, Protection of Government Property, while speaking with journalists in Benin City on Thursday, revealed that not less than 150,000 buildings in Edo State were sitting on government land, adding that such lands were illegally converted.

According to Okoloise, 27 Hectares of land retrieved from the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN), meant for a park by the immediate past administration was diverted and sold to individuals by an unnamed senior official of that administration.

Further speaking in land grabbers and their activities, Okoloise said that over 30 schools have been recovered from intruders, adding that the taskforce has received over 3,000 petitions in less than three months that it was set up.

He also lambasted some foreign companies especially Chinese firms who connive with corrupt individuals to deny the state of revenue in terms of land use charges and taxes that they ought to remit to the coffers of the state government

“Ours is to protect government property, overtime, a lot of government properties in Edo State have been taken over, 70 percent of the moats in Benin City have been taken over by individuals.

“The most attacked institutions in the state are the schools including tertiary institutions. We have recovered about 2000 plots from the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma taken over by land grabbers.

“The UBTH outreach in Ekpoma, the houses there were destroyed and the land sold to individuals and they are building houses there.

“Over 150,000 houses in Edo State are on government land because most of these communities just deforest a place and start selling government land, we are going to recover all. If we say a new Edo is rising, we should rise with the new Edo.”

Okoloise added: “We have been able to recover a lot of landed properties for schools. Some of them will destroy the school land and erect private buildings.

“Like Ujoelen Secondary school where they built a brothel inside the school compound. The brothel has been seized and sealed.

“Iyeoba Secondary School, the community, divided the school land into two parts and started selling part of it to developers.”

He said there was the case of a contractor who connived with the community to shift a beacon of a school to enable them sell the school land.

He added that in Auchi, the land of a public school was sold to a proprietor to build a private school inside a public secondary school.

According to him, in another school, they sold the football pitch and built a personal house there, adding, “and they did not even bother to remove the goal post which is still standing behind the house.”

News

INEC CVR: CSO Expresses Worry Over Poor Deployment Of Machines, Manpower To LGs In Edo

Published

5 hours ago

August 29, 2025

Editor

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO) has expressed worry over the poor deployment of capturing machines and manpower to Igueben Local Government Area of the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the ongoing Ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR).

The Coordinator, EDOCSO, Igueben Study Centre, Leftist Enabulele Larry, and Secretary, Leftist Mark Akande expressed the CSO sentiment when the duo visited the INEC headquarters in Igueben where the CBR in the local government is taking place.

In a statement made available to INFO DAILY on Friday, the leadership of EDOCSO, Igueben Study Centre condemned the “use of only two capturing devices in a local government with over 69, 396 in population.”

The duo noted in the statement that their findings at the INEC headquarters revealed two capturing machines were deployed to each local government across the 18 local government areas of the state.

The civil society members said INEC excuse of deploying two capturing machines to each local government was not germane enough because many do not have a computer or android phone to do the online registration INEC gave as an excuse.

“The question here is, what is the percentage of our people mostly the aged individuals, that have access to Android mobile and other internet gadgets in Edo state?

“How many people can afford internet data to enable them have access internet services in Edo state under the current excruciating economic pains by the people?

“How many of the Edo people can even manipulate the Android mobile phone to the extent of navigating the internet hurdles to undertake the job is INEC? If INEC is not ready for the job, they should tell Nigerians.

“If citizens are now advised to individually undertake the statutory job of INEC, of what purpose does the commission serve to the people? etc,” they said.

As at when filing this report, INFO DAILY was yet to get a reply from the message sent to the INEC in Edo for reaction.

News

Edo Sports Commission Boss Celebrates Okpehbolo On Birthday

Published

10 hours ago

August 29, 2025

Editor

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has felicated with Governor Monday Okpebholo, on the occasion of his birthday.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Media Officer, Edoko Wilson Edoko, Enabulele Okpebholo as a visionary leader whose dedication to the growth and development of the state has continued to inspire confidence and admiration across all sectors, especially sports.

Enabulele, who highlighted the governor’s unwavering commitment to youth empowerment through sports development, noted that under his leadership, Edo State has witnessed significant strides in grassroots sporting initiatives and infrastructure.

“His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, is not just a political leader but a beacon of hope for the younger generation.

“His passion for excellence and inclusive governance is evident in the way he has continued to support policies that uplift our youths and promote sporting excellence,” the statement read.

The Executive Chairman prayed for long life, good health, and continued wisdom for the governor as he steers the affairs of the state towards greater prosperity.

“On behalf of the entire Edo State Sports Commission, I extend our warmest birthday wishes to His Excellency at 55. May this new chapter of his life be filled with more accomplishments and divine grace,” he added.

News

Oba Of Benin Suspends Palace Chiefs

Published

20 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has suspended two of his chiefs for falling for dereliction of duties.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Benin Traditional Council (BTC), Frank Irabor and made available to journalists in Benin City.

He said their suspension was as a result of their long absence from the palace, resulting in their failure to carry out their palace responsibilities.

The suspended persons are: Chief John Igiehon, the Izuwako of Benin and chief Aimiukpomonyako Oghogho (Ebengho), the Oyenmwensoba of Benin.

“The under-mentioned two (2) chiefs have been suspended from the Palace of the Oba of Benin.

“This is as a result of their long absence from the Palace, resulting in their failure to carry out their Palace responsibilities.

“The public is advised to be wary of unscrupulous chiefs that are no longer functioning in the Palace. His Royal Majesty has approved their _ Suspension and directed the public be duly informed.

“The names of the chiefs are: – ; 1. CHIEF JOHN IGIEHON, THE IZUWAKO OF BENIN and, _ 2 CHIEF AIMIUKPOMONYAKO OGHOGHO (EBENGHO), THE OYENMWENSOBA OF BENIN”, the statement said.