By Joe Ebi

The Chairman, Esan South East Local Government Council of Edo State, Hon. Louis Imhandegbelo, has appealed to the Federal Government, the state government and private bodies to, as a matter of urgency, come to the rescue of over 400 persons displaced by flood in Illushi and Odaba communities in Esan South East and Etsako local government areas of the state.

The Executive Chairman made the appeal when he paid an on-site assessment to the affected communities on Tuesday December 5th, 2023.

INFO DAILY reports that over 100 houses and thousands of hectares of farmland are already affected by the flood as their crops, such as rice and their properties have Been washed away by the flood.

INFO DAILY also reports that the communities that are mostly affected are on the bank of River Niger.

READ ALSO: Flood Wrecks Havoc In Delta, Sacks Five Communities

Imhandegbelo, while lamenting the loss, said that because of the enormous destruction occasioned by the flood, there was little or nothing the council could do.

While noting that no fewer than 600  indigenes are affected with about half the number already “displaced by the flood as of today, the 5th day of December, 2023.”

He said temporary camps set up to accommodate the displaced shall be maintained immediately.

“I am appealing to all relevant government agencies, as well as the state and Federal Government to come to the aid of the victims.”

He said: “The disaster is mind-boggling. Homes are submerged, some houses have been even destroyed, and farmlands and crops were washed away. People don’t have homes to sleep in and have their normal daily life.” 

Assuring the people of government’s Intervention, he said; “We are in the process of evacuating you to safer locations. But the job is obviously beyond us; hence, we are calling on both the state and federal government to come to our aid without delay,”

Two persons have reportedly been killed in a gang fight in Ekiadolor village in the Ovia-North East local government area of the State, following a dispute that spiraled from a football game played in neighbouring Iyowa community.

The fight that started as a mere argument at Iyowa community field during a friendly match which later snowballed into a cult war with the parties targeting opponents; their houses and business interests,later claimed the life of one Osaro Agbonze and Kingsley Enabulele.

A witness who didn’t want his name mentioned explained that trouble started during the friendly match in Iyowa community when Osaro Agbonze was asked to leave the field over his unruly behaviour but he refused to obey the referee.

READ ALSO: ‘Why I Joined Cult,’ Ghana Returnee Confesses In Edo

The witness added that Jude Azali an opponent player in the friendly game supported the referee in trying to force Osaro out of the pitch to allow the game to continue but that didn’t go down well with Osaro who threatened to deal with Jude after the match.

He explained  that Osaro, after threatening to deal with Jude, disappeared only for him in the company of four other guys of his cult group traced Jude Azali to a popular Bar in Ekiadolor and attacked him with his friends that evening, leading to the death of Osaro Agbonze and Jude Azali’s friend Kingsley Enabulele.

The gang, according to the source, had earlier that evening stormed Azali’s house ostensibly to kill him, but couldn’t because he had already left home before the arrival of the felons.

But his shop was not speared as the rampaging cult guys viciously destroyed his business promises and also beat up his brother when they could not find him to kill.

“They wanted him dead for innocently challenging a notorious and irresponsible cult guy Osaro Agbonze who attempted to disrupt the game flow when he stubbornly refused to leave after he had been sent off the pitch by the officiating referee during a friendly football match in Iyowa community.

According to the source, in the ensueing fight at the bar, one of Jude Azali’s friends Kingsley Enabulele who was trying to defend Jude was fatally stabbed and that angered his friend Nelson Ogbebor who rushed to his car to get a gun and shot Osaro dead.

READ ALSO: Police Arrest Suspected Cultists, Recover Guns In Edo

“The death of Osaro reportedly angered his friends who went on rampage in search of Azali in Ora community where he lived before going to his shop at opposite Ovbiogie Primary School in Ovbiogie Community,near Ekiadolor. They however vented their anger on his shop,destroying it completely”, the source who pleaded not to be named, concluded.

Meanwhile, the police have said that one Mr Jude Azali is wanted over the death of one Osaro Agbonze and his involvement in the crises which have distrupted peace and order in that axis of Benin.

The police have vowed to get all those involved in the killings to face the law, warning the public against what they referred to as the quick and unwarranted resort to self help in resolving disputes.

Leke Adeboye, the son of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, slammed erring pastors of the church, calling them ‘goats’ for preaching their sermons after the G.O. had finished speaking and preaching.

This generated outrage on social media as many condemned the statement while some others called for his suspension.

Usually, first Sunday of every month, parishes of the RCCG are linked up with the National Headquarters of the church, where the G.O. would deliver a sermon – expected to be the only sermon of the day. Meanwhile, some parish pastors often do a follow-up preaching after the G.O’s.

Reacting to such a move, Pastor Leke took to his Instagram account and referred to the RCCG pastors who preached their messages after the G.O. had preached his sermon as ‘goats’.

“Why would you go and preach another sermon after Daddy G.O. had just finished speaking and preaching.

“You are not a son, you are a goat, sir. Next Thanksgiving Service, just do an altar call, then thanksgiving,” Leke posted.

Tweeps bemoaned this statement, called it rude and others demanded his suspension by the RCCG.

READ ALSO: Why I Don’t Vote, Pastor Adeboye Opens Up

“#rccg should suspend Leke Adeboye for calling ordained pastors #GOAT. What a gut,” @ollynetworker said.

“That’s very rude of you, Leke Adeboye! You are the goat here,” @Joanna8214 tweeted.

@TomisinAmokeoja said, “Two wrongs don’t make a right, Leke Adeboye calling pastors goat was way overboard. Really leaves much to be desired. Always been controversial though. I wonder how he would have reacted if he was the G.O.”

A tweep, @CeciliaOkoroma, said that such a statement was not nice and unexpected from a man of God.

­”This is simply not too nice a statement from ‘man of God’ and in particular, son of G.O RCCG,” she tweeted.

PUNCH.