Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau have vowed that perpetrators of the heinous killing of 16 northern travelers in Uromi, Edo State on Thursday last week are brought to justice to serve as deterrence to others.

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This was even as Okpebholo paid a condolence visit to the Deputy President of the Senate, over the killings of travellers in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State.

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The governor was at the Maitama residence of the Deputy President of the Senate in Abuja on Monday.

A mob had intercepted the innocent travellers who were on their way to Kano State for Sallah celebrations, ransacked their vehicle and gruesomely murdered them on Thursday. The victims who were hunters are from Kano State.

The Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Ismail Mudashir, said the governor extended his condolences to the Deputy President of the Senate, who is from Kano State, pledging that the state government will assist the families of the victims.

The Edo State governor disclosed that the 14 suspects arrested in connection with the killings of the innocent travellers are going to be taken to Abuja for further interrogation.

While assuring that the perpetrators will face the full wrath of the law, he described the killings of the innocent travellers as unfortunate and condemnable.

” It’s unfortunate that it happened in our state. We are here to say, to let you and other people know that we are not happy.

The president is doing something drastic about this. He’s not happy also. The IG has swung into action. The DIG CID is in charge. So far, they have arrested 14 suspects.

” So they are bringing them to Abuja for interrogation. We have also set up a committee to see that we take care of the families of the deceased,” he said.

Responding, the Deputy President of the Senate said the perpetrators of the act must be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others.

” We cannot undo what has been done. But we all want – all Nigerians, what they are looking forward to is to make sure that these people are arrested and brought to justice. And you are doing well in that direction. And I’m also glad you’ve spoken about the fact that your government is ready to assist the families of those affected.

” I want you to continue to pursue the case so that all those who were involved in these barbaric actions are brought to justice. It’s a barbaric action, to say the facts.

“If they are brought to justice, it would serve as a deterrent to those who might want to do this in future. I know that people from other parts of the country have been staying with your people in Edo for centuries in a very conducive atmosphere. And this barbaric act has never happened. I’m sure, under your watch, this will not happen again.

” I thank you very much. You’ve told me now that you’ll meet the Kano State governor today. This is very good. Please continue what you are doing. Mr President also told us that you are doing very well in this direction, and we have seen it because, as I said, we have spoken several times on this matter in the last 72 hours,” he said.

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The Chief of Staff to the suspended Rivers State Governor, Edison Ehie, has revealed how he was offered the sum of N5 billion to coordinate the impeachment of his principal, Siminalayi Fubara.

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He stated this on the popular Channels Television on Sunday Politics, claiming that he has evidence stored on his phone to substantiate his claims.

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The impeachment of the governor has been the desire of the 27 lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, a former governor of Rivers and a current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, hence, the claim, if substantiated would have been linked to the camp of the Minsiter, Nyesom Wike.

“I can also open my phone to show you, in the beginning of October 2023, when they approached me with a bribe of N5 billion. It is here in my phone.

“It was for impeachment. It’s here. I have it and I have printed it and distributed it, in case, in their evil imagination, they decide to attack me. I already have a son and a brother,” he said.

According to Ehie, the mouth watering offer was made while he was serving as the majority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Reacting to claims that the embattled governor told him to bomb the State House of Assembly, he denied, saying that Fubara never told him to do so, while he challenged the former Head of Service prove evidence.

His denial was at the backdrop of claims by the former Head of Service of Rivers State, George Nwaeke that he witnessed a bag of money being handed over to Ehie at the Government House to organize the bombing of the House of Assembly complex to avoid impeachment of the governor.

Nwaeke however, said, he didn’t the amount of money in the bag that was handed over to the Ehie.

Dismissing the claims as false and politically motivated, Ehie said, “It is very important to clarify that I had no hand and was not part of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“Like everyone else, I woke up in the early hours of 30th of October 2023 to hear of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

Ehie stated that he had instructed his lawyers to file a lawsuit against Nwaeke for criminal libel.

“I will not join issues completely with Mr. George Nwaeke because I have already instructed my lawyers to file an issue of criminal libel against him, and I hope he is very prepared to substantiate his claims and his allegations,” he said.

He further alleged that Nwaeke had sought financial assistance from him on the same day he resigned as head of service.

Rivers State has been in turmoil since Fubara’s fallout with his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike.

On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state and suspended both the governor and his deputy.

Subsequently, on March 26, the sole administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, suspended all political officeholders in the state.

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The Education Ministry said it is in contact with security and education officials and is coordinating with admins and parents.

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A plane carrying a group of 150 Israeli students on a trip to Poland made an intermediate landing in Antalya, Turkey, the Education Ministry said on Monday.

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The landing was made following concerns about a technical malfunction, and for reasons of caution, a decision was made to stop in accordance with aviation rules.

N12 reported that a bird had entered the plane’s engine during the flight.

The high school student delegation – from Ein Kerem High School in Jerusalem – was en route to Poland on a standard school trip to learn about the events of the Holocaust. They were accompanied by security personnel from the Shin Bet, as is customary for any delegation to Poland.

The Education Ministry said that they are in continuous contact with security and education officials and are in coordination with school administrations and parents.

The Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. September 19, 2021. (credit: NATI SHOHAT/FLASH90)
It was reported that all the students “are feeling well, staying in a safe and protected area within the airport, and are closely accompanied by the teaching staff who are with them at all times.”

In addition, the ministry was informed that a replacement plane is on its way to them, and it is estimated that at 3:00 p.m., they will take off for Krakow to continue their educational journey.

Holocaust learning
Israeli school trips to Poland typically take place in the winter and the summer, and, according to Education Minister Yoav Kisch, aim to allow “students to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust, to be exposed to the atrocities that took place, and to prove the victory and resurrection over the attempt to destroy the Jewish people.”

In November 2023, the ministry announced it would cancel the winter Poland trips due to the rise of antisemitism worldwide in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas war.

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