KANO DEPUTY GOVERNOR LEADS HIGH-LEVEL TEAM TO EDO OVER UROMI KILLINGS

KANO DEPUTY GOVERNOR LEADS HIGH-LEVEL TEAM TO EDO OVER UROMI KILLINGS

Kano State has stepped up its response to the tragic killing of 16 hunters from its state in Uromi, Edo State, with Deputy Governor Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo leading a high-level delegation to Benin City to press for justice, compensation, and reconciliation. The mission, described by Kano officials as a “fact-finding and peace-building initiative,” follows an earlier visit to Kano by Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, where he met with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the bereaved families.
The Kano delegation, which includes top commissioners, local leaders, and the Emir of Rano, arrived in Edo on Thursday with a mandate to investigate the circumstances of the Uromi attack and collaborate with the Edo State government and federal authorities to ensure justice is served. The tragedy, which has sparked national outrage, claimed the lives of 16 hunters from Bunkure Local Government Area and displaced many others.
Governor Okpebholo, while receiving the Kano delegation, revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is personally invested in ensuring the perpetrators are brought to justice. He said both the federal and Edo governments have set up a joint committee to uncover the root causes and find lasting solutions. “The President is not happy about what has happened, and he wants this issue fully resolved,” Okpebholo said.
The Kano committee submitted a report to the Edo governor, confirming the identities of the deceased and calling for a transparent process to ensure justice. Okpebholo assured that the report would be instrumental in the government’s ongoing investigation. Both parties reaffirmed the historical ties between Kano and Edo states and pledged to work together to maintain peace and protect all Nigerians, regardless of origin.

EDO VOWS TO REVOKE ILLEGALLY ACQUIRED FARMLANDS
In a move likely to stir controversy among agribusiness operators, Edo State Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa has pledged to revoke farmlands acquired illegally by some companies, including those allegedly involving foreign actors. Speaking during a meeting with the Edo chapter of the Association of Cocoa Farmers, Idahosa alleged that civil servants in the Ministry of Agriculture were colluding with Chinese interests to sell off forest reserves in Ohosu and Okomu.
Idahosa praised cocoa farmers for remaining law-abiding despite these challenges and reassured them of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s commitment to protecting their rights. “You are contributing to the state’s economy. No one will be allowed to take your lands without due process,” he said. The farmers had warned that over 40 communities in Ovia South-West might be wiped out if the government failed to intervene.
Idahosa also outlined plans to minimize farmer-herder clashes and boost agricultural security across Edo’s volatile rural zones.

GOVERNOR OKPEBHOLO LAUNCHES 2027 TINUBU RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has taken a bold political step, declaring that his administration has kicked off early campaigning for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election. The announcement came while receiving defecting House of Assembly member Kaycee Osamwonyi from the opposition PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Osamwonyi is the fifth lawmaker to join the APC in recent weeks, giving the party a slim majority in the State Assembly.
Okpebholo praised the defectors and called their decision “a plus for the party,” vowing to turn Edo into a developmental hub. “We are ready for 2027,” he declared. “We have started mobilizing our youth. Our party is now in full control of the Assembly, and we’ll use that strength for governance and unity.”
With the defections, the APC now controls 13 of the 24 Assembly seats, overtaking the PDP, which now holds 11. Speaker Blessing Agbebaku, still a PDP member, acknowledged APC’s new majority status but remains in his role—for now.

EDO ASSEMBLY POWER SHIFTS SPARK PDP LEGAL PUSHBACK
Tensions are rising within the Edo State House of Assembly following a political reshuffle that has seen the PDP relinquish its majority to the APC. This shift has already led to the reassignment of principal offices in the Assembly, with PDP lawmakers Charity Aiguobarueghian and Yekini Idaiye being removed from their former Majority Leader and Chief Whip roles and reappointed as Minority Leader and Minority Whip respectively.
The APC filled those top positions with Ibhamawu Aigbokhan, Addeh Isibor, and Lecky Mustapha. Speaker Blessing Agbebaku, despite presiding over a House now controlled by APC, remains in his position pending further developments.

EDO ASSEMBLY POWER SHIFTS SPARK PDP LEGAL PUSHBACK
The PDP is pushing back. Publicity Secretary Chris Nehikhare said the party is pursuing legal action against its former lawmakers who defected to the APC. The party insists there was no internal crisis that would justify defection, warning that all mandates reclaimed through defection will be challenged in court. “We are confident that the law will declare their seats vacant,” Nehikhare said.

EDO NORTH CONSCIENCE GROUP DEMANDS SPEAKER’S REMOVAL
In another development, As the APC strengthens its grip on the Assembly, pressure is mounting on Speaker Blessing Agbebaku to resign. The Edo North Conscience (ENC), a grassroots political advocacy group, has publicly called for a leadership change, arguing that the Speaker—elected with PDP support—no longer reflects the will of the majority.
The ENC accused Agbebaku of political hypocrisy, stating that his continued leadership undermines APC’s majority and risks legislative stability. “We’re not just playing party politics. We’re restoring order,” the group said in a statement.
The group also called on Governor Okpebholo and other APC stakeholders to take immediate steps to install an APC Speaker in alignment with the party’s new legislative dominance.

PDP TAKES EDO APC TO COURT OVER ALLEGED TAKEOVER OF PARTY SECRETARIAT
The political conflict between the APC and PDP in Edo has spilled into the courts, with the PDP suing the APC over an alleged illegal seizure of its secretariat on Airport Road, Benin City. In a detailed writ of summons, the PDP accuses APC chairman Jarret Tenebe and his agents of storming the premises on January 16, destroying property worth hundreds of millions of naira, and violently evicting party staff.
The PDP is seeking over ₦900 million in damages, including ₦322 million in special damages for lost office equipment and daily costs for emergency relocation to Etano Hotel. The party also seeks a perpetual injunction against further trespass and a court order restoring its occupancy rights.
At the heart of the suit is a lease agreement between the PDP and a landlord, Mr. Enoma Agbontaen, which the party says remains valid. “We will not allow political thuggery to be normalized,” the PDP said. The APC has yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
More stories and legal reactions are expected in the coming days as Edo State continues to be a major flashpoint in Nigeria’s political realignments.

EDO YOUTHS THREATEN TO SHUT DOWN OIL OPERATIONS ON COMMUNITY
Youths in Abiala community, Ikpoba Okha LGA of Edo State, have given Elcrest E&P Nigeria Limited a 21-day ultimatum to meet their demands or face a shutdown of operations.
In a protest letter signed by community youth leaders and copied to top security agencies, the group accused Elcrest of neglect, especially during recent dredging activities that allegedly caused economic losses. They’re demanding 60% of unskilled and 40% of skilled jobs for locals, contracts for indigenous contractors, and compensation for landowners.
The group’s lawyer, Eric Omare, argued that Elcrest’s claim of compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) is baseless, as the firm has yet to establish the required Host Community Development Trust. He stressed the PIA doesn’t override obligations on employment and compensation.
“If our demands aren’t met, we’ll act,” said youth president Felix Jemigbeyi. The community warned that continued neglect could disrupt oil production in the area.