Two Village Heads, 5 others Arrested over Edo Train Attack

Two traditional rulers in Edo Central senatorial district have been arrested by the police in Edo state over their alleged involvement in last weeks kidnap of passengers at the Tom ikimi train station in igueben ,Edo state.

Briefing journalist on the development commissioner for communication and orientation Chris Nehikhare also disclosed that five other persons have also been arrested while the remaining two victims have rescued

He however appreciate the security operatives for their intervention and the people of the state for their support in the fight against crime and criminality assuring of government readiness to make Edo a safe place.

Identities of the two traditional rulers are yet to be made public.

FLIGHTS RESUME AFTER WORKERS STRIKE

Air passengers both local and international can now heave a sigh of relief as normalcy is gradually returning to airports across the country as seamless passenger facilitation has commenced.

This is coming on the heels of the suspension of strike by aviation unions over the review of salaries of its members in the Nigeria Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO.

The strike was called off after three hours meeting between the unions, the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, and the management of the company.

Flight operations were grounded on Monday morning following the industrial action embarked on by the staff of NAHCO over failure to review their current salaries since June 2022.

Flight disruption due to the strike left scores of passengers both local and foreign stranded at the Lagos airports which spilled over to airports across the country.

Speaking on the strike, Secretaries General of the Unions in NAHCO, the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, Comrades Ocheme Aba and Frances Akinjole noted that its members embarked on the strike because the NAHCO management handled their seven-day ultimatum with kid gloves.

According to them, the management also continued to play on their intelligence through rescheduling of purposeless meetings.

In an agreement reached at the end of the meeting, all staff have been directed to resume work immediately, negotiation of all workers’ welfare to start Wednesday this week and NAHCO management decided to withdraw the suit and vacate the earlier court order obtained.

Reacting to the strike, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Mr. Nnaji Nnolim earlier in a statement had appealed to the unions and management of the company to dialogue and avert further disruption to aviation activities.

Mr. Nnaji urged the union to douse its agitation and show concern for the pains the action would bring on innocent Nigerian travellers both locally and internationally.

Responding to the development, the Group Executive Director, NAHCO, Dr. Olusola Obabori said, the Company engaged the Unions and other stakeholders because they understand the power of negotiation.

2023 DUG defectors ‘ll return after general elections – PDP

Spokesperson of Delta State Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Barr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has assured that some members of Delta United Group, DUG, which on Sunday defected to opposition party as a result of self inflicted frustration over the emergence of Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, as the party’s governorship candidate, will surely return to PDP after the forthcoming general elections.

Oghenesivbe gave the assurance on Monday, while speaking as a guest of Delta Rainbow Television public affairs programme, “Morning Ride,” saying that what the defectors did was to shamelessly lick their vomit, the All Progressives Congress, APC and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

He disclosed that the infamous defection was foreseeable, not a surprise to Deltans judging from the unguarded anti-democratic statements and negative body language of the defectors after the party’s governorship primary wherein Oborevwori emerged winner in a free, fair and transparent exercise.

Oghenesivbe noted that the universal principles of party politics in constitutional democracies allow for free and fair contest, as was the case in Delta PDP governorship primary, but that after the exercise the losers and stakeholders must of a necessity collapse political structures to work for the victory of the party and candidates.

The PDP Campaign Council mouthpiece, further disclosed that all coordinators of David Edevbie Campaign Organisation across the twenty five local government areas in the state, on Sunday declared their unalloyed support for the candidacy of Rt Hon Sheriff Francis Oborevwori at the country home of their authentic amiable leader, Olorogun Dr Isaac Akpoveta.

Edevbie LGA coordinators made the declaration during Delta Central PDP candidates consultation visit to Akpoveta, led by Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, pointing to show that the DUG defectors are on a futile Political sojourn. And very soon, Olorogun David Edevbie will be sheriffied.

Oghenesivbe, who is also the Executive Assistant on Communications to the Vice Presidential candidate of PDP and Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, said a check on the political relevance of the defectors revealed that they are spent politicians looking for greener pastures without corresponding electoral value and relevance.

He however noted that their selfish ambitions cannot be actualized in the opposition party, which is why they shall hurriedly return to PDP after the forthcoming general elections, adding that their decision will have negative effects on their fractured and derailed political career.

“The recent defection of some DUG members was never a surprise to us in PDP, it was foreseeable because of their undemocratic statements and negative body language after the governorship primary.

“The defectors are simply searching for greener pastures in the wrong party, because PDP and our excessive local content governorship candidate, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori will defeat Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and the APC at the polls on March 11.

“It’s on record that these same defectors prior to governorship primaries berated the APC governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and the APC over the obvious gross mismanagement of Nigeria’s economy, making her the poverty capital of the world. A loaf of bread cost as much as N1,300 while a litre of Petrol is N300 as against N86 in 2015.

“We know for sure that their political romance with APC will be short lived for obvious reasons. Nigerians are tired of APC bad governance and have decided to vote Atiku-Okowa for President, Sheriff-Onyeme for Governor and all candidates of PDP,” Oghenesivbe assured.