News View Digest

Igbinedion Quits Oghomwen’s Defence Team as Court Adjourns Money Laundering Case to October  Falmata Ibrahim  Veteran Benin-based lawyer, Dele Igbinedion Esq, has exited the legal team defending Jessica Iguodala Oghomwen in an alleged money laundering case before the Federal High Court in Benin City. The withdrawal came on Tuesday after the defendant formally informed the court of a change in legal representation. At the resumed proceedings before Justice B.O. Quadri, Igbinedion told the court that a Notice of Change of Counsel had been filed on behalf of Oghomwen by C.I. Ehikioya Esq. of C.I. Ehikioya Law Firm. Relying on the filing, he announced his immediate withdrawal from the matter and confirmed that he would no longer be appearing for the defendant. The notice, entered in Charge No. FHC/B/53/2024 — Inspector General of Police v. Jessica Iguodala Oghomwen  — indicated that the defendant had engaged Ehikioya to take full charge of her defence. With that developm...

Edo State Govt Halts EDOHERMA Revalidation Exercise for Review After Stakeholder Outcry Habiba Sam  The Edo State Ministry of Health has ordered an immediate halt to the ongoing revalidation process being carried out by the Edo State Health Regulatory Monitoring Agency, EDOHERMA. The suspension follows strong objections raised by major players in the state’s private health sector.  The directive was issued by the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole.  It came in response to formal appeals submitted by the Association of General Private Nursing Practitioners, AGPNP, and the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors, GMLD. Both groups had urged the government to pause and reassess how the exercise was being conducted.  In a statement, the Ministry said the suspension will stay in place while a full review of the implementation structure is carried out. The goal, it explained, is to make the process more equitable, workable, and aligned with the co...

Iyanomon Women Lead Peace Drive to End Community Clash for a Safe Return Home Habiba Sam The women of Iyanomon Community in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State have taken the lead in the fight for peace, staging a solemn protest to draw government attention to months of recurring youth clashes that have torn their neighbourhood apart. Displaced from their homes and livelihoods, the women, joined by other affected residents, marched through the community with one unified demand: restore calm, reconcile the warring factions, and allow families to return and rebuild. Speaking for the group, Mrs. Aiwekhoe Omon said the latest flare-up had not claimed lives, but had left deep psychological scars as residents lived in constant fear of gunshots and loud explosions. “We are crying out for peace. The government should bring the two sides to a table and settle this matter finally. We, the women and children, are the ones bearing the pain,” she said. Mrs. Omon explained that the underl...

Mothers on the March- Iyanomon Women Lead Peace March to End Communal Crisis and a Return Home Habiba Sam      Women of Iyanomon on their knees for            peace to return to their Community.  When gunfire replaced normal life in Iyanomon, it was the women who stepped forward. In Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, mothers, traders, and grandmothers have become the community’s frontline peacekeepers, staging a heartfelt protest to confront the youth clashes that have fractured their town and scattered families.  Clutching placards and chanting for calm, the women, alongside other displaced residents, walked through Iyanomon with a single, urgent appeal: end the fighting, reconcile the factions, and open the way for people to return home and restart their lives. Mrs. Aiwekhoe Omon, speaking for the group, said while the most recent episode did not result in fatalities, it left residents deeply shaken by relentless burs...

Gov. Umo Eno Scores High on Security and Inclusion Under the ARISE Agenda — Aide  By Emmanuel Iyoho                    Comrade Kingsley Iwok Comrade Kingsley Iwok, Special Assistant to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State on Mobilization in Abuja, has described Governor Pastor Umo Eno’s three years in office as “impactful and successful,” citing landmark strides in security, education, inclusion, and economic development under the ARISE Agenda. Speaking in an interview, Iwok said the administration has fulfilled the social contract it signed with Akwa Ibom people, which is anchored on *A*griculture, *R*ural Development, *I*nfrastructure, *S*ecurity, and *E*ducation. Iwok identified security as the administration’s most notable achievement, noting that Akwa Ibom is now rated among the most peaceful states in Nigeria despite national security challenges. “It costs a lot to maintain security, but the Governor has deployed our resources effe...

PVC Collection Drive: SSA Razak Ikpe Zekeri Mobilizes Edo Residents for Last Phase of Voter Registration Falmata Ibrahim  With the presidential and senatorial elections approaching, Governor Monday Okpebholo has assured residents across Benin City and the entire state that PVCs are ready for collection in all 192 wards and 18 Local Government Areas. As part of the statewide mobilization, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs, Comrade Razak Ikpe Zekeri, embarked on a tour of various LGAs to sensitize citizens on the importance of collecting their Permanent Voter Cards in this final phase of registration. Addressing residents and market stakeholders during the tour, Comrade Razak urged the electorate, and particularly those who have shown little or no interest, to take advantage of the opportunity. He described the PVC as the only legitimate tool for citizens to decide the direction of leadership at all levels. He explained that the ongoing Continuous Voter R...