NEWS

The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, has approved the posting of CSP Tomofe Nwabueze as the new Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ekpoma in Esan West Local Government Area. Nwabueze replaces the former DPO, Nelson Igbinoba, who was redeployed after violent protests erupted in the town within the Edo Central Senatorial District. The appointment takes immediate effect. The development was confirmed in a statement released on Tuesday by the Edo State Police Command spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, who explained that the decision followed ongoing security assessments and strategic repositioning aimed at restoring peace in Ekpoma. According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police ordered a reorganisation of the Ekpoma Division as part of efforts to strengthen security...

A Swiss court has ordered the co-owner of a bar in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana to remain in custody following a deadly fire that killed 40 people on New Year’s Day. In a statement issued Monday, the court said Jacques Moretti would be held for an initial provisional period of three months. However, the detention could be reviewed if steps are taken to reduce the risk of flight, including the payment of a security deposit. Prosecutors in the canton of Valais had ordered Moretti’s detention on Friday after a lengthy hearing involving him and his wife, Jessica Moretti, who jointly own the bar where the fire broke out. Lawyers for Jessica Moretti said the ruling leaves room for her husband’s release once the court’s conditions are met. They said the court took into acc...

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has expressed profound grief over the kidnapping and murder of a young man in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area. The incident, which occurred on Friday, January 9, 2026, reportedly sparked fear and outrage among residents, especially students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. In a post on his verified X account on Monday, the governor described the killing as “tragic and heartbreaking” and extended condolences to the victim’s family, friends, and the entire Ekpoma community. “I am deeply saddened and disturbed by the kidnapping and killing of a young man in Ekpoma on Friday, January 9, 2026. This tragic incident is heartbreaking, and I extend my sincere condolences to the victim’s family, friends, and the entire Ekpoma community durin...

The United States has delivered military supplies to Nigerian security agencies in support of ongoing operations in the country. The United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, announced the delivery in a post on X on Tuesday. “US forces delivered critical military supplies to our Nigerian partners in Abuja. This delivery supports Nigeria’s ongoing operations and emphasizes our shared security partnership,” AFRICOM said on X. Nigeria in recent times has faced an upsurge of insecurity, with hundreds being kidnapped. US forces launched airstrikes on terrorist enclaves in North-West Nigeria on Christmas Day.

The Edo State Government on Tuesday rejected claims circulating on social media that students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU) were responsible for the recent unrest in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area. The government described such reports as “false, misleading, and part of a coordinated effort to misinform the public and destabilize the state.” In a statement issued by Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Patrick Akhere Ebojele, the government said the disturbance was not a protest but a planned riot orchestrated by a Nigerian resident in Russia and other foreign locations. The statement added that security agencies have identified the individuals behind the unrest. These actors allegedly contacted multiple people in Ekpoma, encouraging coordinated riots in Ek...

The Edo State Police Command has arrested an 18-year-old girl, Obehi Odine, for staging her own kidnap in Ekpoma and demanded N10m as ransom from her parents. The spokesperson of the command, ASP Eno Ikoedem, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 said police also arrested 11 suspected kidnappers and recovered firearms and N cash.  According to the PPRO, the 11 suspects, were arrested during a bush-combing operation around Akwocha Camp and adjoining forest corridors, in collaboration with the Nigerian Military and the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC).  Nigerian Fashion Updates “The Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that as part of ongoing security assessment and strategic repositioning in Ekpoma, the Commissioner of Po...

Madam Lucia Onabanjo, the wife of Ogun State’s first civilian governor, Olabisi Onabanjo, has passed on at the age of 100. The announcement was made by her daughter, Olubukunola Onabanjo, on Tuesday, Jan. 13. According to Onabanjo, the Madam Lucia Onabanjo passed away peacefully on Monday, Jan. 12. The statement partly reads, “The family of Chief Victor Olabisi Onabanjo, former Governor of Ogun State, announces with deep sorrow, yet with gratitude to Almighty God, the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. “Chief (Mrs.) Lucia Onabowale Onabanjo (1925–2026) was called to glory on Monday, January 11. “We thank God for her long and fulfilled life, and for the enduring legacy of love, strength, and faith she leaves behind. May her soul rest ...

A man di£d just days before he was supposed to move into his newly built house. The man had gone to inspect the house on Dec. 30, 2025. He planned to move in on Jan. 3, 2026. Sadly, he di£d on Dec. 31, just one day after inspecting the house. Senator Shehu Sani shared a photo of the man inspecting the house just hours before his demise. He wrote: "He is here inspecting his new house on the 30th December. He di£d on the 31st. He wanted to move in on the 3rd of January. He was not made to live in the year 2026. "We are mortals. We only know of this moment and not the next. May Allah grant him Aljanna firdausi. Amin."

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has pledged that the state government will rebuild the shops destroyed by fire at the Ekpoma Police Division. The governor made the promise during a visit to the police station to inspect the extent of damage to the shops, which were reportedly built by the Police Officers’ Wives Association. In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Okpebholo assured the affected traders of swift government intervention alongside renewed security measures. Addressing shop owners at the scene, the governor expressed deep concern over the incident, noting that recent developments in Ekpoma suggest a pattern of coordinated attacks in the area. “A lot is happening here at the moment, but we are going after those responsible,” he sa...