Allafrica Post

Following the continued detention of some members and indigenes of Ukhiri N' Okhua community in Ikpoba Okha local government area of Edo state, Elders and people of the community have appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki and Oba of Benin, HRM Oba Ewuare II, for their intervention. The community in a protest over the weekend, said, the appeal became necessary as the indigenes have been wallowing in police detention, for more than 2weeks without being charge to court. The people lamented that, the arrest of their kinsmen was part of the harassment they undergo daily under the leadership of the Enogie of Ukhiri N' Okhua community, HRH Godwin Aigbe. The aggrieved indigenes stressed the need for urgent intervention from relevant authorities, as they are being marginalized by the Enogie. They however appealed to the Oba of Benin to reign on the Enogie to lead his subjects aright and ensure every member of the community are treated fairly. Chief priest of Ukhiri, Ohen P...

Col Paul Ogbebor (Rtd) has described the outgoing tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari as a period of "planning" and "rearranging". He said President Buhari took over a country already in shambles which he had to reverse to put it on a sustainable part of growth. Col Ogbebor (Rtd) who gave the assertions yesterday while Speaking with journalists in Benin city, explained that the next four years will avail the President the opportunity to prove his mettle. The Nigerian civil war veteran urged President Buhari to be more ruthless in the Anti corruption war, to justify the confidence repose in him by the African Union (AU) to lead the crusade in the continent. According to Ogbebor, "he should make the anti graft war a success, so that Nigeria, Africa countries and the world can put his name on gold, and say this is the man who fought that cancer in Nigeria", he said Ogbebor who called for "strong" political institutions, advocated for six,...

No fewer than 4,575 Edo indigenes have so far been returned to the state from Libya since the inauguration of the Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking. The Chairperson of the taskforce and Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Prof. Yinka Omorogbe disclosed this during campaign against human trafficking in Auchi. Prof. Omorogbe said that the taskforce secured the return of  3,177 men and 1,238  female  Libya. He said taskforce was inaugurated in 2017 towards the total eradication of the scourges of human trafficking and illegal migration which have led to untold suffeting and deaths of thounsands of Edo men and women. "We make bold to say that Edo through the promotion of people centered policies and activities such as those undertaken by the taskforce, has been able to make positive contributions helping to change the narative around the drive for irregular travel to foreign destination. "The taskforce is fully committed towards ensuring that in...

In continuation of its voters sensitization campaign, Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO), yesterday held a Mega Rally, tagged, "#Let's Cook Season 2", ahead of tomorrow's Governorship and Houses of Assembly elections, to dissuade electorate from selling their votes. The Mega Rally which took off from the National Museum Ground, at Oba Ovoramwen square, went through major roads in Benin city. EDOCSO, a network of civil society groups in the state which held similar rally (Season 1) before February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections said it is their determination to see an end to the negative trend. According to the activists, there is need to sensitize the masses on the implications of vote selling, hence the rally. The Coordinator General of EDOCSO, Leftist Omobude Agho had during a stopover urged electorate not to sell their votes as it is a right and power to demand accountability from those they have elected to represent them. Leftist A...

There is ongoing heavy vehicular traffic jam from teboga road junction down to Murtala Mohammed Way (M.M Way) junction at Ikpoba slope in Benin city. The traffic gridlock, caused by a broken down truck with registration number FST 285 XD, forced motorists to take adjourning routes. It was observed that motorists were diverting through Ewa road and M.M. Way popularly known as 3rd East circular road as the broken down trailer barricaded one side of Ikpoba slope opposite the National Population Commission (NPC) building. Speaking with our correspondent, driver of the truck, who declined to give his name, explained that the gear of the heavy duty vehicle failed to apply after several effort to put it on reverse. "My motor no gree select gear for me to reverse back to offload the load inside, but I don call mechanic, e dey come", he said A commercial bus driver, heading towards Oba Ovoramwen square (Ring Road) from Ikpoba hill, Mr Samson Obaro lamented that he had to go ...

On the 9th of February 1897, British forces commenced a fierce military expedition to invade Benin Kingdom, now Benin city, capital of Edo state, Nigeria. They invaded the kingdom with the most sophisticated British war Marines as well as the Niger Coast Protectorate Forces led by Rear-Admiral Harry Rawson. The military onslaught on the pre-colonial empire according to Britain was in retaliation to the killing of Acting Consul General, Captain James Philips and his men by messengers of the then Oba of Benin, Oba Ovoramwen N'ogbaisi at Ugbine village near Ughoton, along the Benin River. Philips' party had ignored warnings by the Oba's men not to violate the kingdom's sovereignty as the Monarch would not be able to meet with them due to ongoing traditional Igue festival. Philip needed a flimsy excuse to annex Benin, hence he provoked an attack on his party by engaging on a heated argument with the Oba's men led by Ologbosere who killed all but two men dead. The ...