Headline

Tension As Obaseki Plans Demolition Of Edo NUJ Press Centre

Published

3 years ago

November 19, 2022

Editor

INFO DAILY Recounts Demolition, Take-over Spree By Obaseki’s Govt.

There is tension in Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ) as the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has concluded plans to
demolish and take over the NUJ secretariat.

The Press Centre built in the early 70s by the late Military Governor of the defunct Mid-West/Bendel State, Brig.-Gen. Samuel Ogbemudia, is on an expanse of land is at 1, Gabriel Igbinedion Road, and was donated to NUJ, Edo state council by the then Oba Akenzua of Benin.

NUJ press Centre in Benin is strategic, as it is the venue for daily distribution of local, regional, national newspapers and magazines to vendors and distributors.

The press centre of Edo NUJ also houses the befitting offices of correspondents’ chapel among others.

It was gathered on Friday in Benin that Obaseki wanted to use Edo NUJ’s land to build Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA), to house the stolen artifacts being returned to Benin from Europe, to rival the Edo Royal Museum, being built by Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, to house the same artifacts.

The Edo royal museum is located opposite the palace of the first-class monarch (Oba of Benin), with major stakeholders in the state and beyond supporting the initiative, which is backed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

It was also learnt that expatriates that would handle the EMOWAA project at NUJ’s press centre were on Thursday at the site for inspection, and they were accompanied by fully-armed policemen, with the demolition likely to commence this weekend.

The Functioning Director of Lands, Edo State Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS), Mrs. Lydia Igbinigie, earlier wrote to Edo Chairman of NUJ, Festus Alenkhe, on the land matter, while the Managing Director of EDOGIS, Mrs. Osaro Aihie, who was appointed by Obaseki about three months ago, later called Alenkhe on the same matter.

The Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, a lawyer, met in his office on Friday morning with some stakeholders on the NUJ’s land matter, with a member of the executive of the state’s NUJ (name withheld) quoting the SSG as stating that he was not aware of the land tussle and demolition bid, but promised to get the details.

Efforts were later made to speak with Edo SSG, but his MTN line was not available, at press time.

Edo Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, through the telephone, stated that Obaseki’s government was working on moat’s right of way in Benin and its environs, while he declined further comment on the NUJ’s land matter and planned demolition of the befitting secretariat.

Edo chairman of NUJ, who lost his mother some days ago, when contacted through the phone, declined to comment on the matter.

The President of NUJ, Chris Isiguzo, when contacted for his reaction, through the phone from Owerri, Imo State, at 4:53 p.m. on Friday, said: “Please, ask Edo State Chairman of NUJ. I earlier told Festus Alenkhe what to do.”

Alenkhe, at 5:03 p.m., through the phone, said: “Mr. President (of NUJ) directed Edo State Council’s leadership of NUJ to resist the forcible take over of the land.”

Edo chairman of NUJ also added that the directive of Isiguzo would be strictly adhered to.

INFO DAILY recalls that Obaseki demolished the over 100 years Edo State Government-owned Cenetral Hospital on Sapele Road, near the NUJ Press Centre, several months ago with the rumour making the rounds that he was to build the same EMOWAA on the land, but till as at when filing this report, nothing has been built on the land.

INFO DAILY also recall that Obaseki brought down the state-owned Library edifice on the same Sapele Road and sold it out to owners of Shoprite Mall, and presently, the mall is still under construction while till date an alternative Library has not been built.

It would be also recall that on September 29, 2022, the Obaseki-led Edo government imposed 24 curfew on Irhirhi-Obazagbon-Ogheghe axis, on alleged communal clash and next day went their with bulldozer wherein over 200 houses were demolished, thereafter took over the land measuring 1229 hectares.

The government claimed the houses were illegally built on land belonging to the state government.

Headline

Judge In Maradona Negligence Case Resigns Amid Scandal

Published

5 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The Argentine judge who caused the collapse of a trial over the 2020 death of football legend Diego Maradona has resigned, her lawyer said Tuesday.

Julieta Makintach’s involvement in a clandestine documentary about the trial of Maradona’s medical team led to the proceedings being scrapped in May after two months of hearings.

No date has yet been set for a new trial.

“I have the honor of addressing you in my capacity as judge (…)in order to submit my resignation from my position,” Makintach wrote in a letter to the governor of Buenos Aires that was shared by her lawyer.

Makintach was facing impeachment proceedings over her participation in the documentary about the case against seven medical staff accused of manslaughter over Maradona’s death.

Maradona — considered one of the world’s greatest ever players — died in November 2020 at the age of 60 while recovering from brain surgery.

He died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema — a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs — two weeks after going under the knife.

Prosecutor say the conditions of his home convalescence were grossly negligent.

Makintach was one of three judges hearing the case.

Headline

Netanyahu Vows To Thwart ‘Any Attempt’ By Iran To Rebuild Nuclear Programme

Published

5 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Tuesday to crush any attempt by Iran to rebuild its nuclear programme in a national address to the country after 12 days of war.

“Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” Netanyahu said after a ceasefire put a halt to airstrikes by the two countries against each other.

“We have thwarted Iran’s nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt,” he added.

Headline

Netanyahu Hails ‘Historic Victory’ In Iran War

Published

5 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday hailed a “historic victory” in his country’s 12-day war against Iran and vowed to prevent Tehran rebuilding its nuclear facilities.

“We have achieved a historic victory,” Netanyahu said in a televised address to the nation after the start of a ceasefire agreed to by both countries.

“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” he told viewers in the near-10-minute speech.

“We have thwarted Iran’s nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt,” he added.

The head of Israel’s military Eyal Zamir said earlier on Tuesday that its strikes had set back Iran’s nuclear programme “by years” and the campaign against the country was now “entering a new phase”.

Iran said on Tuesday that it was ready to return to nuclear negotiations with the United States as the ceasefire took hold.

But Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would continue to “assert its legitimate rights” to the peaceful use of atomic power.

Israel’s government said in a statement earlier Tuesday that it had removed the “dual existential threat” of Iran’s nuclear programme and missiles during its strikes.

Netanyahu claimed that Israel’s attack on Iran, named “Operation Rising Lion”, would be “recorded in the annals of Israel’s wars, and will be studied by armies all over the world.”

It included repeated strikes on Iran’s nuclear and missile sites, assassinations of military and domestic security service leaders, as well as the bombing of state media and Evin prison in Tehran.

After the United States joined in the conflict with strikes on Sunday, President Donald Trump said his forces had “totally obliterated” Iran’s main nuclear sites.

Analysts said, however, that it remained unclear whether the strikes had put the nuclear threat out of reach, with the possibility that Iran had moved its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium away from the targeted sites.

Tehran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon.