Author: Iduozee Efe Paul

The Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has empowered 30 women, whose environment has been impacted by activities of multinational corporations. The Interim Administrator, ERA/FoEN, Rita Uwaka, said at a one-day workshop for the women that the empowerment was aimed at supporting the women from impacted communities. Uwaka said the support would come through a structured learning and healing programme that would equip them with information on environmental issues, their rights, and their struggles with support for alternative livelihood options. The one-day workshop with theme: ‘Promoting Solidarity Economy. Building Resilience,’ attracted women from than 15 communities spread…

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have killed a renowned drummer identified as HC Ikhamateh Akhumhele in the Osholo community, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State. The spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Moses Yamu, who confirmed the incident to newsmen in Benin City, said Akhumhele was killed between Iviukwe and Akioli on Saturday, October 26, 2024. He said, “We are meeting with community leaders on this unfortunate incident while tactical teams have been deployed to comb the crime scene and its surroundings for possible arrest of the suspect. “The DPOs sharing boundaries with that area have also…

The Network of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria, NOCSON, has raised concern over the high rate of cult killings in Edo State and has called for the return of Edo State Security Network, ESSN, to check the trend. In a statement signed and made available to journalists in Benin, the President of NOCSON, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbidi, said recent killings in the state called for serious concern and that proactive and urgent steps need to be taken to stop it before it snowballed into a bigger crisis. “NOCSON had recently frowned on the killings in Edo State in which an estimated…

The Founder of ChariLove Centre, Ossiomo, Chris Omusi, has decried the dire conditions faced by the less privileged children of the Centre and the failure of government to provide them with basic educational support. Omusi, who expressed his displeasure at a press briefing in Benin City, said, “Ossiomo is certainly the poorest of the poor community in Edo State and, perhaps, in Nigeria. The place has continued to witness a circle of poverty stricken generations. And the only way an end can be put to this is through proper education off the children. “Very sadly, this is what the children…

The kidnappers of Rev. Fr. Thomas Oyode, the Rector of the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Edo State, have reportedly demanded for a N200 million ransom. Oyode was kidnapped on Sunday by gunmen at an evening mass at the seminary at Ivhianokpodi in Etsako East Local Government Area of the state, according to the Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa. A source who asked not to be named, said, “The kidnappers on Monday evening contacted the Auchi Catholic Diocese and asked them to pay ₦200 million if they…

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri has said the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility in Lagos, a joint venture between NNPC Limited and Century Nigeria Limited, in partnership with WAEP and ENSERV, has potential to boost Nigeria’s crude oil production by an additional 40,000 barrels per day (bpd). A statement signed by the minister’s SA Media and Communication, Nneamaka Okafor in Abuja, noted that the FPSO project is one of the measures arising from the Minister’s engagement with NNPC Limited, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for increased production, and it…

The coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Edo State today demanded the return of fuel prize to N200 per litre and restoration of fuel subsidy, improvement of security, revert to single legislature among others by the Bola Tinubu administration. The group which include African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Talakawa Republic, Take it Back Movement and Faculty of Peace Organization during a peaceful protest to State Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Edo State Council said the increase in fuel pump prize, the removal of fuel subsidy, insecurity and floating of the naira have made…

Members of the Association of Commodity Market Women and Men of Nigeria (ACMWMN) in Edo State have passed a vote of no confidence on the Market Women Leader of Edo State, Blacky Ogiamien for allegedly failing to render account of the N100 million given her in 2013 by former governor, Adams Oshiomhole. The members who addressed a press conference on the matter in Benin City, the state capital, said rather than give account of the items she received on behalf of the traders, Mrs. Blacky resorted to intimidating members and causing artificial scarcity of commodities in the markets. In the…

Edo State Ministry of Education in collaboration with GIZ-SKYE is building the capacity of teachers on gender and inclusive TVET Education. Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Joan Ovaiwe, at the training programme, urged teachers in the state to impart the knowledge they have acquired from the training they underwent, it should be used to teach their colleagues to enable them benefit from the information. The two-day training Cascade on Gender and Disability Inclusion in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), held in Benin City. She appealed to GIZ-SKYE to remain in the state and work with the…

The Centre For Transparency Advocacy (CTA), has warned political parties, as matter of urgency should at all times mobilize voters instead of waiting to buy votes on election day, this the body said could also reduce voter apathy, as witnessed in these elections. Addressing Journalists in Benin city, in a press conference, the Executive Director of CTA, Faith Nwadishi, after their findings and observations in the field, strongly condemned vote buying and selling. She buttressed that, INEC, security agencies, Nigerians, and other interested parties must devise strategies to deal with this unpleasant occurrence. Nwadishi equally suggested that, it is imperative…