News

Uromi 16: Okpebholo Travelled Over Two Hours To Meet Victims Families, Douse Tension – SSG

Published

7 months ago

April 1, 2025

From Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

Secretary to the Edo State Government, Barrister Musa Ikhilor, has revealed that the governor of the state, Monday Okpebholo, travelled two and a half hours by road to the village where most of the victims of the Uromi killings hailed in order to douse tension.

The SSG added that the governor did not just travelled there but met with the bereaved families, consoled them, and assured them that justice would be served.

Speaking on TVC’s breakfast show on Tuesday, Ikhilor, while commending the governor for his proactive leadership in addressing the tragic incident, emphasized that the approach has significantly de-escalated tensions and has been well-received by the public.

The SSG who disclosed that the governor also promised compensation for the victims, added: “In Kano, the governor didn’t just visit the government house; he traveled to the very village where the victims came from. He met with the bereaved families, consoled them, and assured them that justice would be served.

“He also promised compensation for the innocent lives lost. This proactive approach has significantly de-escalated tensions, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Ikhilor, while highlighting the security situation in Edo State, explained that illegal vigilante groups operating under the previous administration had been a major challenge.

The Uromi attackers, he noted, were linked to a group previously suspended by the government.

According to him, “Recently, we discovered that the vigilantes involved in the Uromi incident were from the same group that operated under the last administration—one we had already suspended and begun profiling and retraining. Our goal was to subject them to proper training under the Edo State Security Corps Governance Law.”

Governor Okpebholo’s visit to Kano, where he met with ethnic community leaders, was instrumental in preventing a potential crisis.

Ikhilor described the visit as a significant move to calm tensions and foster peaceful coexistence.

“While in Kano, we met not only with the government and the people of Bokore but also with leaders of various ethnic minority groups, including the Igbo and Yoruba communities.

“They expressed their gratitude, noting that the governor’s visit was not just a condolence gesture but also a move that helped protect their people in Kano, as well as the millions of Edo indigenes residing there.”

He also debunked misinformation circulating on social media, accusing political opponents of recycling old protest videos to create unrest.

“There is a lot of misinformation circulating. Some individuals are playing politics with security issues. A video of women protesting in Uromi against kidnappings and rape has resurfaced and is now being spread by the opposition to suggest it is a recent occurrence.

“However, a simple Google search shows that this video was recorded in 2021 under the Obaseki administration,” he stated.

The SSG reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to combating insecurity, noting that under Governor Okpebholo, Edo State has enacted stricter laws against cultism and kidnapping.

“Governor Okpebholo has purchased over 75 brand-new Hilux vehicles for security agencies, which have been distributed accordingly.

“He has also procured power motorcycles to enable security operatives to chase bandits out of the forests. We are making tremendous progress,” Ikhilor said.

He assured the public that investigations into the Uromi killings are ongoing, with decisive action expected soon.

News

Ovia South West Council Chairman, Edobor Bags National Merit Award

Published

8 hours ago

October 24, 2025

Editor

The Acting Chairman of Ovia South West Local Government Council in Edo State, Hon. Charles Nosakhare Edobor, has bagged the 2025 Nigerian Local Government Merit Award (LOGMA).

He was awarded as the Best Performing Local Government Chairman in Nigeria (Security and infrastructure development, purposeful leadership).

Speaking after being conferred with the prestigious award, Edobor applauded the organizers for recognizing his administration’s commitment to localizing good governance.

He highlighted his leadership’s remarkable strides in building a sustainable, livable, and prosperous council area through numerous people-oriented programmes and projects-particularly in road infrastructure and the provision of basic social amenities.

Edobor dedicated the award to the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and to the good people of Ovia south west Local Government Area.

He expressed satisfaction with the honour. He emphasized that the award would further spur him to work harder in pursuing people-centred programmes aligned with Senator Monday Okpebholo’s S.H.I.N.E and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Edobor commended Governor Okpebholo for his visionary leadership and unwavering support for local government administrations across the state.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to deepening rural development, empowering youth and women, and ensuring the dividends of democracy reach every ward in Ovia south west local government.

Earlier, in his welcome address at the event which held on Wednesday at the National Merit House, Abuja, the National Coordinator of LOGMA, Chief Bayode Ojo, stated that the award was designed to showcase the achievements of local government chairmen and reward excellence in grassroots governance – particularly those who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting grassroots development despite the challenges confronting the third tier of government.

He congratulated all the awardees for making the final list after rigorous scrutiny and spot-checking of some of their executed projects to verify the authenticity of their claims.

Chief Ojo further urged the awardees to continue to be shining examples of sustainable growth at the grassroots and in the country at large.

News

JUST IN: Tinubu Sacks CDS Musa, Names New Army Boss

Published

8 hours ago

October 24, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has made changes in the hierarchy of the Service Chiefs in furtherance of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen the national security architecture.

The President appointed General Olufemi Oluyede to replace General Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff.

More to follow…

News

Lagos Inaugurates 24-hour Traffic Management Operations

Published

1 day ago

October 23, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government has launched two transformative initiatives designed to recalibrate traffic governance and restore environmental sanctity across the metropolis.

In a visionary bid to guarantee seamless mobility and safe commuting at all hours, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has formally instituted a 24-hour operational framework for traffic management and enforcement across Lagos State.

The groundbreaking initiative, officially commissioned by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, constitutes a seminal moment in the evolution of Lagos’s transportation governance.

It manifests Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s strategic ambition to ensure the uninterrupted movement of people, goods and services within Nigeria’s economic epicentre—a city that operates continuously, unhindered by congestion or disorder.

According to Giwa, the 24-hour operational regime epitomises the administration’s steadfast dedication to constant vigilance, operational efficiency and disciplined traffic regulation, especially as the metropolis approaches the festive period, traditionally characterised by heightened vehicular and commercial activity.

This information was contained in a statement yesterday by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq.

He elaborated that the framework is meticulously designed to facilitate continuous monitoring, rapid emergency response and immediate clearance of traffic obstructions irrespective of time, thereby mitigating congestion and enhancing the commuter experience.

“This initiative exemplifies the Lagos State Government’s resolute commitment to safeguarding mobility, preserving lives and sustaining economic productivity through perpetual traffic oversight,” Giwa stated.

A pivotal component of the initiative is the establishment of the Night Rapid Response Gang, a specialised unit within LASTMA charged with swiftly addressing nocturnal traffic incidents, including vehicular breakdowns, collisions and other obstructions along critical arteries of the metropolis.

In tandem with these traffic management reforms, the Lagos State Government also executed a comprehensive clearance operation along Apapa Road, Costain and the Ijora Under Bridge, eliminating illegal structures, shanties and unregulated trading that had long obstructed free vehicular flow and compromised public safety.

The far-reaching enforcement exercise, spearheaded by Sola Giwa in coordination with LASTMA, the Nigeria Police Force, Mobile Police (MOPOL), the Lagos State Task Force and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), culminated in the removal of unauthorised traders, makeshift structures and multiple environmental infractions.

During the operation, enforcement teams uncovered an illegal diesel dumping site and impounded substantial quantities of expired plantain chips and cheese balls, stored under unsanitary conditions—a testament to the government’s prioritisation of public health and environmental integrity.

The exercise followed persistent warnings and public sensitisation campaigns urging illegal occupants under bridges to vacate. Teams also identified blocked drainage channels choked with metallic debris, contributing to perennial flooding and environmental degradation.

Furthermore, several commercial buses and tricycles operating unlawfully along the newly constructed Costain Bridge and Apapa Road were impounded.

Shanties adjacent to St. Catholic Church School, Apapa Road, were demolished, reinstating the area to its intended urban and educational purpose, while criminal hideouts beneath the Ijora Bridge were dismantled to enhance public security.

Giwa reaffirmed that the Sanwo-Olu administration will not compromise on public safety, environmental protection or the rule of law, stressing that Lagos must remain a city distinguished by structure, order and discipline.

General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, appealed to traders, transport operators and commuters to comply with government directives, utilise designated markets and parking facilities, and actively support the administration’s efforts to maintain a safe, efficient and orderly metropolis.

He emphasised that the integration of 24-hour traffic management with environmental enforcement represents the Lagos State Government’s holistic approach to sustainable urban mobility—one that blends innovative regulation, proactive enforcement and civic responsibility.