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Youths block Benin-Ore road over woman’s killing by suspected herdsmen

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Some youths in the Ofumwengbe community in the Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, on Tuesday, blocked the Benin-Ore Expressway to protest the death of a yet-to-be-identified woman, who was allegedly raped and killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

It was gathered that the victim, who had gone to her farm on Monday, failed to return, prompting the community to raise a search party for her.

The woman’s corpse was found on her farm with one of her arms and legs allegedly cut off by her assailants.

It was gathered that the victim, who got married last year, was allegedly raped by the suspected herdsmen before she was killed.

The herdsmen in the area had fled for fear of being attacked by the youth.

The angry youths took the body of the victim to the expressway, where a bonfire was made to protest her death.

The protest, which caused a gridlock on the expressway, was later brought under control by security agents.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told one of our correspondents that he spent four hours in the gridlock before the security agents were able to disperse the crowd.

He said, “I was coming to Lagos State when we suddenly encountered the gridlock. I learnt that a woman went to the farm and herdsmen raped her on the farm before killing her. The villagers took the body of the woman, brought it to the expressway and stopped vehicular movement on both sides of the road.

“The youth went after the herdsmen and got hold of one of them, who had a gun on him, but there was no bullet in the gun. They got hold of him and killed him, cut his leg and brought his body to the expressway.

“It took the intervention of policemen, soldiers and other security agents before we were able to go. The security agents at first tried to pacify the youth but when they were not listening, they had to use force to disperse them.”

However, when contacted, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, DanMallam Muhammed, denied the alleged clash between the herdsmen and the youth, adding that the cause of the woman’s death had not been ascertained.

He said, “The youth blocked the road, because a woman died on the farm and they alleged that herdsmen killed her. They did not wait for police investigation but blocked the road and brought hardship on travellers, who did not know anything about it.

“The woman went to the farm and this morning, she was discovered dead. The youth suspected it that herdsmen killed her but nobody saw the herdsmen killing her.”

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Court Grants Malami N200m Bail in DSS Terrorism, Firearm Charges

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Justice Joyce Abdulmalikof the Federal High Court Abujahas admitted a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and his son Abdulazizto N200 million bail in the charges bordering on alleged terrorism and illegal firearms possession brought against them by the Department of State Service (DSS).

Malami and his son were, however, ordered to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of the bail conditions imposed on them by the Court.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted them bail while ruling on their bail applications, which were argued by their lead Counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN).

The judge ordered the former AGF and his son to get two sureties each, one of whom must own landed property either in Maitama or Asokoro.

Justice Abdulmalik said that the title of the property must be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court, along with valid international passports.

The sureties are also to depose to an affidavit of means and submit their two recent passport photographs to the court.

Malami and his son were also ordered to submit their international passports and recent passport photographs to the court.

The judge subsequently fixed March 4 for the commencement of the trial.

The Department of State Services (DSS) had arraigned Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism and illegal firearms possession.

In the charge, Malami was accused of refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers, whose case files were handed to him while he served as the AGF and Minister of Justice.

Malami and Abdulaziz are equally accused of warehousing firearms in their residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birain Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, without lawful authority.

The DSS accused Malami in count one of the charge, with knowingly abetting terrorism financing, while the ex-AGF and his son are charged in counts two to five, with unlawful, possession of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5720 live rounds of cartridges and 27 expended Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, contrary to and punishable under relevant Sections of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and Firearms Act, 2004.

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Fubara Appoints New SSG, Chief of Staff

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Governor Siminalayi Fubara has appointed Dr. Dagogo S.A. Wokoma as the new Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) and Barrister Sunny Ewule as Chief of Staff, after the recent shake-up of the State’s political and administrative structure.

The appointments were announced on Thursday in a Special Government Notice signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi, and made available to journalists. Both appointments take immediate effect.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi, the governor appointed Dr Dagogo Wokoma as Secretary to the State Government and Mr. Sunny Ewule as Chief of Staff.

The statement said the appointments take immediate effect, adding that the new appointees would be sworn in at 2:00 p.m. at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Port Harcourt.

The development comes amid the protracted political crisis in the State, which recently escalated into impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, by the State House of Assembly. The crisis was eventually diffused following the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.

Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, had last week announced during plenary that the Assembly formally withdrew the impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy after the President’s intervention.

Political observers suggest that the dissolution of the cabinet may be part of efforts to rebalance the power structure in the following the peace accord. However, it remains unclear whether the new appointees are aligned with the governor or loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The statement read in part: “The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has appointed Dr. Dagogo S.A. Wokoma as the Secretary to the State Government and Barrister Sunny Ewule as the Chief of Staff.

“Both appointments are with immediate effect. The new appointees will be sworn in at 2:00 pm.today, Thursday, February 26, 2026. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Port Harcourt.”

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Court Strikes Out Forgery Case Against Ozekhome As FG Withdraws Charges

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The Federal Government has formally withdrawn the forgery charge filed against senior lawyer Mike Ozekhome, bringing an abrupt pause to a case that had drawn public attention.

The charge was originally instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
It followed a judgment delivered by a London court over a property linked to the late former FCT minister, Jeremiah Useni.

In January, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation took over the matter from the ICPC for what it described as effective prosecution.

However, proceedings took a new turn on Tuesday at the FCT High Court.

The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed Peter Kekemeke that the Federal Government was withdrawing the case file for “further instruction”.

He explained that the decision was taken in line with the provisions of Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

Counsel to the defence, Paul Erokoro, SAN, told the court that his team had no objection to the withdrawal of the charge.

In a brief ruling, Justice Kekemeke held that since the application was not opposed, it was granted.

He consequently struck out the charge and ordered that the case be dismissed.

The withdrawal effectively halts legal action against Ozekhome over the alleged forgery linked to the disputed property transaction.

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