Metro

Traditional Ruler, Two Others Killed In Bloody Benue Land Dispute

Published

2 months ago

May 15, 2024

A protracted land dispute between the people of Okete in Ohimini Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state and the neighbouring community of Otukpo-Nobi in Otukpo LGA over the ownership of

Amla-Icho community land has claimed the lives of a traditional ruler and two others in the feuding communities.

It was gathered that the age long dispute was triggered last week when the Chairman of Otukpo LGA, Alfred Omakwu allegedly sent a bulldozer to the disputed land to enable him commence work on the creation of a layout in the area.

The presence of the earth moving equipment angered the people of Okete who moved to stop the destruction of the cultivated land.

In his account on the incident, the Chairman of Otukpo LGA said “the problem is that the Okete people lost it. It is a dispute between Amla in Otukpo and Okete in Ohimini LGA and a total of three people lost their lives in the crisis.

“What happened was that they (the Okete people) used to go and farm in Amla land but sometimes last year when we wanted to develop a layout there, the Okete people went to report to the Och’Idoma that their farm produce were there and the Och’Idoma directed that no layout should be done until they harvest their products.

“February this year, they harvested their produce and the Och’Idoma called them and informed them that by March this year, Otukpo would go ahead with their layout and that they should not farm there again.

“But when the bulldozers returned they said they had farmed there already and reported the matter to their Second Class Chief as well as their LGA Chairman who called me and I told them that the Och’Idoma asked them not to farm there again because of the layouts.

“So when the bulldozer went there on Friday, they came with their lawyer who called me and I told him everything and said if they want to go to court, it was their right.

“They demanded that the bulldozer stopped work but their lawyer advised that they should wait for him to get an injunction from the court but they said they could not wait.

“They then went to the First class chief of Otukpo/Ohimini who called Och’Idoma and the Och’Idoma said they should not stop the people doing the layout because he asked them not to farm their again.

“At that point they went there and opened fire on the people; they killed one and shot two people and burnt all their motorbikes about 10 of them.

“Then Otukpo retaliated the next day; they also burnt some houses and killed one person and killed another person in Amla making two.

“But we have maintained calm. The Police Commissioner summoned all of us for a peace meeting so we are restoring peace now among both parties. We have agreed that all the culprits will be arrested and brought to book.”

Countering his Otukpo counterpart, the Ohimini LG Chairman, Samson Okoh who also acknowledged that the dispute was over land said “there is a place called Amla, it’s close to Okete. The Otukpo Chairman took the bulldozers to the place where the Okete people used to farm for years and according to him he wanted to do a layout. So he went and destroyed their farm crops.

“When the Okete people demanded an explanation, the Amla people said the land does not belong to the Okete people but to the Amla people.

“According to what I was told, when the argument ensued somehow one of them from Otukpo pulled the trigger and shot but the bullet mistakenly hit a fellow Otukpo person.

“Then on Saturday night the Amla people went and reinforced and barricaded the Okete people, burnt houses, beat up ans killed one boy. And on Sunday around 10am when I went to take the boy they killed to the mortuary, the Alma people went to the place again and burnt 17 houses, burnt motorcycles, slaughtered a Clan Head Chief Sunday Okpe, and shot five other persons who we took to the Teaching Hospital in Otukpo for treatment.”

The Chairman who informed that the community had been deserted said the parties had been summoned by the Police Commissioner over the matter and that efforts were on to apprehend the masterminds of the crisis.

On whether the Paramount ruler of Idoma land, Och’Idoma Agaba-Idu John Odogbo asked his people not to farm on the said land again, the Chairman said, “I am not aware of that but the Otukpo Chairman claimed so. I was not told by the Och’Idoma to tell the people not to farm there.

“Moreover, the Och’Idoma cannot tell the people to stop farming where they have been farming for several years without compensation or settlement and you just take the bulldozer to destroy their crops on the hectares of land they eke a living from.”

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene who confirmed the development said the command received the report of one death though she was awaiting full details of the incident.

Metro

8 School Children Rescued In Lokoja Auto Crash

Published

22 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Admin

Eight school children have survived a ghastly motor accident in Lokoja the Kogi State capital.

Eyewitness account told DAILY POST that the children are pupils of Kingdom Heritage Nursery and Primary School Lokoja.

DAILY POST gathered that the children were returning from school when the sad incident occurred on Thursday at the popular Lokongoma market in Lokoja.

It was further gathered that a heavy-duty truck carrying a container load fell on two small vehicles which trapped the Children.

Through the combined effort of the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and other relevant agencies, the children were rescued.

The Kogi State Security Adviser Commodore Jerry Omodara Rtd. who was on ground to ensure the rescue of the school children confirmed this to our Correspondent on Thursday.

As of 5:17PM, efforts are still in place to ensure that the truck is evacuated from the road to ensure free flow of traffic.

Metro

Gunmen abduct 2 Chinese, kill 5 Nigerians in Lokoja

Published

2 days ago

July 25, 2024

Admin

Two Chinese Nationals have been kidnapped while five security personas have been killed following the attack from some gunmen who invaded a mining site on Zango City, the outskirts of Lokoja, Kogi State capital.

It was gathered that the gunmen in large numbers had a field day on Monday when they stormed a mining site in Zango City and killed five persons, made up of three vigilante members and two staff of the mining site before they abducted two Chinese citizens.

Locals said the unfortunate attack occurred in the evening at about 5 pm and lasted for about 45 minutes when sounds of sporadic gunshots emanated from the hilly range behind Al Azhar International School. They said the suspected gunmen were about 20, with many of them bearded.

It was gathered that while the audible gunshots from the mountain were unrelenting, people hurriedly closed their shops, and panic-stricken locals abandoned their homes to take cover in other places considered safe.

A hunter who preferred not to be named claimed to have participated in evacuating the corpses, identifying the deceased vigilantes simply as Abdulazeez, Tijani, and Yusuf, said gory photos of their remains were sighted.

Abdul, a resident and shop owner in Zango, said he heard the sounds of the gunshots, “Initially, we did not know what was happening, and the gunshots were loud. I had to leave the area along with other people out of fear. This is very bad and worrisome in the state capital. We urge the government to step up security in the state.”

Efforts to reach the police including telephone calls and messages to the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, William Anya, did not yield results.

Metro

Dafinone’s Intervention: FG commences rehabilitation of Gamon Bridge in Sapele

Published

2 days ago

July 25, 2024

Admin

The Federal Ministry of Works has commenced the rehabilitation of the dilapidated Gamon Bridge, which connects the Benin/Mosogar/Sapele Highway from Mosogar in Ethiope West LGA to Okirighwre in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State.

This development follows the intervention of Senator Ede Dafinone, who represents the Delta Central Senatorial District. He drew the federal government’s attention to the poor state of the bridge, which urgently needed repair.

Senator Dafinone, in a letter addressed to the Honourable Minister of Works, with reference number SED NASS/FMW/ERGP2024/901 dated July 4, 2024, highlighted the deplorable condition of the Gamon Bridge and the pressing need for repairs.

The letter, titled “RE: Urgent Attention and Repair of Gamon Bridge and Adjoining Road on Benin-Sapele Road, Delta State,” stated:

“The deplorable condition of GAMON BRIDGE, located in my Senatorial District, has been brought to my attention. To avert imminent disaster, I request the intervention of the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Works, as mentioned above.

“The bridge, known as GAMON BRIDGE, was constructed in the late 60s and early 70s. It serves as a gateway to deeper South-South states through the River Ethiope for commuters from the Southwest states. It links the busy Ethiope West LGA to the NPA seaport in Sapele LGA, covering 8.7 km, including the nearly 2.0 km bridge.

“Presently, the non-motorable 8.7 km federal link road, including the near-collapse GAMON BRIDGE connecting the Benin/Mosogar/Sapele Highway from Mosogar point in Ethiope West LGA to Okerighwre in Sapele LGA, requires urgent and emergency intervention from the federal government.

“Moreover, with the recent rains, the entire stretch of the GAMON Bridge and road are frequently flooded due to some alleged remediation slabs cast on both sides by a state agency, which are rather harmful ‘dead weights’ on the bridge, causing stagnant flooding and distorting its engineering and structural design.

“Consequently, I urge the Honourable Minister of Works to provide immediate remediation and intervention to avert an imminent disaster in the area.”

In response to Senator Dafinone’s letter, the Honourable Minister for Works, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, mobilized contractors to begin immediate repairs on the bridge, a development applauded by stakeholders in Delta State.

An elated Senator Dafinone took to his official Facebook page to announce the development, praising the Honourable Minister for the quick response. According to him, “I am pleased to announce that the rehabilitation of the Gamon Bridge, which connects the Benin/Mosogar/Sapele Highway from Mosogar in Ethiope West LGA to Okirighwre in Sapele LGA, has commenced.

“On July 4th, 2024, I brought the urgent need for the repair of the Gamon Bridge and the adjoining Benin-Sapele road in Delta State to the attention of the Federal Ministry of Works.

“Constructed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Gamon Bridge has historically served as a critical gateway for commuters travelling from the Southwest states to the deeper South-South states via the River Ethiope. This 8.7 km stretch, including the nearly 2.0 km bridge, links the bustling Ethiope West LGA to the NPA seaport in Sapele LGA.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Honourable Minister, Governor David Nweze Umahi, CON, for his prompt response in addressing this pressing issue.”

When our correspondent visited the bridge, workers were on-site repairing broken bars and desilting the bridge.