By Chris Ochayi The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has exonerated Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria of any culpability in the recent killings of farmers in some parts of the country by suspected Fulani herdsmen. Speaking at the General Assembly of Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, IDFP, Thursday, in Abuja, Sultan Abubakar III, said the organisation has no control over any Fulani man. The religious leader, who rather attributed the massacre of innocent lives to the handiwork of some criminal elements, however, charged the Federal Government and the security apparatus to urgently fish out perpetrators of the heinous crime and prosecute them. Sultan asked, “How is it possible for Fulani to attack settlements or communities to carry out killings of innocent people, destroy property and disappear without trace? Sultan Abubakar III, said the Miyetti Allah was formed over 32 years to cater for welfare and advance the growth of Fulan...

The Edo State Government in partnership with Viko Nigeria has unveiled tourism information desks at the Benin Airport, Benin City, to market the state's tourism sites. Speaking at the unveiling of the desks at the arrival and departure wings of the Benin Airport on Wednesday, Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, said he wants investors and visitors to know about the tourism potentials of the state. The governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Taiwo Akerele,  said the idea driving the project is the commitment to make the state a 24-hour economy. "As a state, we want to leverage on our potentials to attract local and foreign investments. We are partnering with the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to make night landing possible at the airport to increase influx of passengers coming into the state for business and leisure." Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Osaze Osemwegie-Ero, said the information desks are a part of the a...

Following the explosion that rocked Okpella community in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, yesterday, the Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has directed the commissioner of police and the Director of Department of State Services (DSS) in the state, to commence search for explosives and other weapons and dis-arm the militia group operating in the community. Obaseki gave the directive after listening to the traditional ruler of Okpella, His Royal Highness (HRH) Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, Alhaji Andrew Dirisu and chiefs from the different clans in the community who paid the governor a courtesy visit at the Government House. He told his guests that the report of a bomb explosion in Okpella is disheartening and must be investigated. It was gathered that a strange vehicle was seen in Okpella and when concerned people in the community stopped the vehicle, the occupants fled. In the process, one of the occupants set off a bomb which claimed the bomber’s life and his colleague ...

…insists that only law abiding investors are needed in the state The Edo State Government has commenced discussions with the Nigerian Bottling Company about a power purchase agreement from the company's Benin plant, to light-up government buildings and streets across Benin metropolis. Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who paid a working visit to the NBC Benin Plant located at Eyaen, maintained that the state government also intends to collaborate with the NBC on some of its cardinal programmes, including the agripreneur initiative, basic education, primary healthcare and the fight against human trafficking. He expressed his administration's readiness to partner with companies that will abide by the rules and laws guiding businesses in the development of the state and stressed that "companies without regard for laid down rules, laws and institutions of government and those that resort to arming youths and creating militias, have no business in Edo State." The...

The Edo State Government has insisted that marketers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) must dispense the product at the approved pump price of N145 per litre in the state. In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Oil & Gas, Hon. Joseph Ugheoke, the state government stated that 606, 000 litres of PMS were recently loaded for distribution to marketers across the state. In the statement, he said, “606, 000 litres of PMS were loaded to marketers in Edo State from depots in Delta, Rivers, Ogun and Lagos states on Friday, January 12, 2018.” The statement added, “297, 000 litres of PMS were loaded from Warri depot to Imota filling station, along Benin-Agbo Road; F. Stephen Supply Limited in Ugbogiobo, Benin; Iroghama Nigeria Limited, along Benin-Sapele Road; Esosarefe in Benin; Buvel, along Murtala Muhammed Way; Konkon Cong. Nigeria Limited, along Benin-Lagos Road; and Sonowe, along Benin-Agbor Road.” Others, he added, include “Juvasco Nig...

By: Desmond Agbama, CPS to Oba of Benin The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II has called on the people to keep faith and hope alive as the trying moment would soon be overcome. The Benin Monarch made the call in his palace when the Benin Christian Community held a special prayer session to end the 2018 Universal Week of Prayer. Oba Ewuare II described the prevailing cases of kidnapping, human trafficking and insecurity as temptations to test our faith, and admonished the people to be closer to God. The Omo N’Oba noted that the modest achievements recorded so far in Benin Kingdom was due to the power of God and the Ancestors; pointing out that he recognises the important role of prayers in rulership. The Oba of Benin Commended the Chairman and members of the Benin Christian Community for organising the prayer session and urged them not to relent in praying to God to grant the nation’s leaders at all levels wisdom and the ability to lead the people on the pat...

…threaten court action against occupants …As Edo rolls out bulldozers on illegal buildings Following the earlier complaints against occupants of the land belonging to Anglican Girls Grammar School by some old students of the school and members of Concerned Edo Citizens, a non-governmental organisation, the former students have called on the Edo State government to extend the demolition notice it has served in some parts of the state to those occupying part of the school land. The former students appealed to the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to revoke the certificates of occupancy of all the occupants on the school land to allow space for the future expansion of the school. “The annexation and appropriation of our school land by members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) was done in bad fate; it is immoral and a bad way to use political power. If all the preceding administrations shared school lands across the state the way the PDP did, all pu...