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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...

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has disputed Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s claim of being the “001” of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.Fayose argued that holding the governorship does not automatically make someone the top political leader in their state.Naija News reports that Fayose compared Fubara’s assertion to the political structure in Lagos, noting that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu cannot claim ultimate political authority in Lagos State. According to him, the state’s political leadership is firmly under the control of President Bola Tinubu.Speaking on Tuesday during an interview with Arise News, Fayose cited the recent impeachment and reinstatement of the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker as proof of Tinubu’s influence. He explained that t...

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, on Monday evening visited Ekpoma to inspect the destruction caused by an overnight fire that gutted several shops built by the Police Officers’ Wives Association. He assured affected traders of swift government support and stronger security measures.Naija News reports that the governor described the incident as troubling, linking it to what he termed a recurring pattern of violence and sabotage in the area.Addressing shop owners at the scene, Okpebholo said he was deeply saddened by the incident, noting that recent developments in Ekpoma point to coordinated attacks.“Many things are happening here, but we are already going after those responsible,” he said.The governor rejected claims that Fulani herdsmen were behind the attack, insisti...

Pope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado at the Vatican on Monday, in an audience that was not initially included in the official schedule for the day.The Vatican announced that the meeting on Monday, January 12, took place in the library of the Vatican Apostolic Palace.In a brief video clip released by the Vatican, the two were seen shaking hands and smiling as they sat at the pope's desk in his official office in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace.In a statement published on X by the Venezuelan political opposition coalition, Comando con Venezuela, Machado said she sought the pope’s help in seeking the release of more than 1,000 political prisoners “and for an immediate transition to democracy.”“Today, I had the blessi...

The Edo State High Court, Criminal Court 2, has ordered the remand of 52 youths involved in the protest that rocked the Ekpoma area of the state at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre.The protesting youths who were reportedly mainly students of the Ambrose Alli University had taken to the streets on Saturday January 10 to protest the increasing spate of k!dnapping and insecurity in their community located in Edo Central region. During the protest, several properties including the palace of the monarch in the community were destroyed. Videos of the protesting youths made the rounds on social media.The police later stepped, alleged that the protest was hijacked by some hoodlums and made some arrests.“Regrettably, the protest was hijacked, and all the rules of peaceful protest wer...

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday called for the immediate release of 52 individuals who were remanded in prison following a protest against kidnapping in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, which reportedly turned violent.Most of the detainees, primarily students, were held at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre after the Edo State Criminal Court II in Benin City declined jurisdiction over the matter.In a statement, the PDP’s State Publicity Secretary, Dan Osa-Ogbegie Esq., accused the All Progressives Congress-led state government of orchestrating the arrests and remand. He further claimed that Ekpoma has been left vulnerable to kidnappers and violent criminals, leaving residents living in fear as attacks reportedly continue unchecked.Osa-O...

The United States Department of State has withdrawn more than 100,000 visas, including thousands granted to students and specialised professionals, citing encounters with law enforcement linked to criminal activity.In a statement shared on its official X account on Monday, the department revealed that over 8,000 student visas and about 2,500 specialised visas were among those revoked.According to the department, “The State Department has now revoked over 100,000 visas, including some 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialised visas for individuals who had encounters with U.S. law enforcement for criminal activity.”The visa cancellations, the department said, are part of ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and strictly enforce U.S. immigration laws. It reaffirmed its stance,...

The Edo State High Court, Criminal Court 2, has ordered the remand of several youths arrested during the recent protest in Ekpoma at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre.The decision followed an application by the prosecution requesting a 14-day remand period. Emotional scenes were witnessed in court as some of the detained protesters and their relatives broke down in tears while those arrested were escorted into a waiting vehicle.The protest, which took place over the weekend, was sparked by growing concerns over kidnapping and other security challenges in Ekpoma, located in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. Viral videos circulating online showed residents demonstrating against rising cases of abduction and killings in the Edo Central region, with some individuals reportedly...