[dropcap]T[/dropcap]hirty six cows were reportedly struck dead late Saturday by thunder bolt on top of a sacred hill at Ijare town in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The dreadful hill known as ‘Oke Owa’ was located on the outskirts of the sleepy community.
Sources said only the town’s monarch(Olujare,)and some chiefs normally visit the town once in a year.
This is usually during the celebration of the new yam festival to perform some rituals. An indigene of the town ,whose house was on the way to the hilltop said the incessant striking of thunder bolts accompanied the evening rain made them suspecting the strange occurence.
It was learnt that nobody knew that the thunder had actually caused havoc until a hunter came in the morning to reveal that during his hunting expedition, he saw some dead cows on the hilltop.
This development gingered the traditional ruler of the town, the Olujare of Ijare, Oba Adebamigbe Oluwagbemigun Kokotiri 11 to send delegation of chiefs to report to the police and visited the scene to assess what actually happened.
The incident consequently attracted several people in the community especially youths who trooped to the hill to see wonders.
At the hilltop, there were 36 dead cows lying flatly on the ground without any mark on their bodies.
Speaking with reporters, the Olujare of Ijare, who spoke through his second in command, Chief Wemimo Olaniran, the Sapetu of Ijare, it was an act of God.
The Sapetu of Ijare said the herdsmen had been destroying their farmland for a very long time which had led to confrontation on many occasions.
He said it was surprising to them when they heard five days ago that some Fulanis were ascending the sacred hill to settle after they had destroyed many farmlands and created fears in the minds of the people.
His words”We were there this morning and we saw about 36 cows dead apart from the one inside the bush. It has happened and there is nothing we can do, we regards it as the act of God which nobody can be query.
“There had been occasions like that but not as massive we are having it now, to some individuals who desecrated the land. In the past we did witnessed thunderbolt attack, when you desecrated any part of Ijare particularly the sacred places.
“The dead cows will be there for ever it is part of the history in our land for people to see as testimony in future that such a things happens, a whole Oba buried there live and heaven did not fall talk less of ordinary cows.
“Oke-Owa is a sacred hill where the Oba and some of his chiefs visited once a year during new yam festival to offer sacrifices on behalf of the community.
” Even those chiefs accompanying the Oba must not go to the inner part of the hill because there is a particular place where only the Oba have to enter and spend a night.
“This is a hill that the herdsmen wanted to desecrate with their herds. It is a taboo. When we heard about the incident, we invited the herdsmen and they confirmed that it was thunder that struck the cows.
” We went to the police station to report the matter and the Divisional Police Officer was contacted before chiefs including myself went there.
“Those cows would remain there and rotten because nobody must touch them otherwise there would be problem”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Ondo State Command, Mr Femi Joseph confirmed that the matter was reported at Ijare Police Station.
Joseph described the incident as a natural disaster that is unfortunate and which nobody can do anything about.
Dreadful hill Thunder Strikes Thirty Six Cows To Death in Ondo
Federal Govt. to Extend Border Closure Beyond 28 Days
The National Security Adviser (NSA)
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), has said that the federal government has decided to extend the partial closure of the country’s borders beyond the 28 days earlier slated. According to Channels Television, Monguno disclosed that the partial closure of the borders between Nigeria and Benin Republic has yielded results, including the arrest of about 100 illegal migrants, adding that illegal arms and hundreds of bags of imported rice have been impounded.
He said that the major reason the federal government decided to partially close the borders has to do with insecurity, adding that it is the responsibility of the government to protect its citizenry and secure its international borders.
Earlier the Comptroller General of Customs, Hammed Ali had said that Nigeria borders would remain closed until the neighbouring countries respect Nigeria’s policy on food ban and other contraband importation.
Ali while addressing Customs personnel and community leaders at the border town, Maigatari, which connects Nigeria and Niger Republic, lamented that criminals were coming in through Nigeria’s porous borders to perpetrate crimes freely.
“Most of the criminals are not committed by the citizens of Nigeria. They come in at will and go out at will because our borders are so porous. They come and create havoc and they disappear.
“This is why the President directed that we should go on and embark on this drill to ensure that we put into place a proper procedure for in and outflow of people.
“We must also get our neighbours to agree with us on the protocols of transit routes,” Ali said.
According to him, Nigeria has enough food and is willing to go to all extent to ensure its borders are no longer porous.
Speaking in the same vein, the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, said the federal government’s directive was important to ensure that people do not enter into Nigeria or leave Nigeria through illegal means.
“A border is a place where there are Immigration and Customs. If you want to enter into Nigeria, there is a border. The rule is that you pass through the border. If you are going pass through the border, carry your documents with you,” he said.
The Comptroller of Customs also explained in an interview with journalists that the border closure has yielded positive results and would remain closed till neigbouring countries cooperate with the Nigerian government.
Nigeria has shut its borders with neighbouring countries including, Benin Republic and Niger for about a month.
By: Emeji Kelechi Noble
Tribunal: Okonkwo Hails Okowa’s Victory, Says Judgment well Deserved
Chairman / CEO of Lifeguard Security Ltd
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Chairman of Lifeguard Security Ltd, Chief Charles Okonkwo, has described the Delta State Gubernatorial Election Petition Tribunal’s judgement on Friday as fair, just and very well deserved congratulations to the state Governor, Sen Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.
The three man Tribunal headed by Justice Suleiman Belgore, sitting in Asaba, had on Friday affirmed the election of Governor Okowa while dismissing the petition of Chief Great Ogboru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for lacking in merit and competence.
Reacting to the judgement on Saturday, Okonkwo said:
“First, is my gratitude to God for the Tribunal’s judgement which is fair and just; and very well deserved congratulations to His Excellency, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State to 2023; and also congratulations to my Party, PDP, for generating the confidence of the political context for the tremendous renewal of Dr Okowa’s mandate”.
Okonkwo, who noted that there was nothing wrong in individuals seeking audience in court, however, described the recourse to the tribunal process as a waste of time in the face of overwhelming indications that Okowa and the PDP won the election in very fair and clear manner with a very wide margin, describing the effort as a waste of “time and scarce resources”.
His words: “While there is nothing wrong in seeking audience of the judiciary, am disappointed in persons who go to Tribunal just to waste our time and scarce resources as it was incontestable that the PDP won with huge margins in 23 of the 25 local government areas of the electoral constituencies for the Governorship election.
Chief Okonkwo said that the verdicts reflected the true wishes of the people as well as victory for democracy and rule of law and reaffirmed their support for good governance in the state.
End of the road for woman that faked blindness to dupe people in Ekiti
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his is certainly the end of the road for Nzube Ekene, a popular street beggar, who pretended to be blind on Friday in Ado-Ekiti, when she was arrested for faking blindness.
The mother of two who often beg for money at the traffic light around the popular Fajuyi roundabout with 10 years old girl she trafficked was arrested through the intervention of the chairperson of the Association of Women Lawyers known as FIDA, Mrs Seyi Ojo.
During the arrest, Ekene was putting on tattered cloths and a hat that covers her face thus deceiving members of the public that she is blind. She usually seat on the floor while the teenage girl goes around to beg for money from motorists and passengers held on by the traffic light.
Giving her account to FIDA chairperson, Mrs Seyi Ojo, said she was in the queue of vehicle stopped by the traffic light when the girl approached her and begged for money a situation she said touched her heart deeply.
Mrs Ojo said on getting to the office, she ordered the invitation of the woman with hope of rendering possible assistance only to discover that she was a fake.
According to her, the woman was well dressed beneath but only covered herself with the rags so as to attract sympathy. Over eleven thousand naira was found on her as at eleven o’clock on Friday morning when she was arrested.
The little girl whom she was using to beg for money could not hide her feelings as she grabbed the FIDA chairperson in joy for rescuing her.
Narrating her ordeal the girl who gave her name as Ada said the woman came to her mother in Imo State and requested that she go with her to the Southwest so that she can assist her in trading.
She promised to enroll the girl in school, which she never did.
Ada said she was surprised after getting to Ado when the woman told her to be begging on her behalf.
According to Ada, she first resisted but the woman beat and threaten her before she succumbed.
She claimed that she had begged the woman overtime to allow her speak with her mother but she irefused and even tore the book where she had earlier wrote the number of her mother.
The girl also complained that the woman was in the habit of maltreating her despite the fact that they make lots of money on a daily basis.
Speaking with our correspondent, the fake blind woman-beggar Ekene said she lives in Ikare Ondo State but from Imo State. She claimed that she was involved in the business to survive due to lack of job.
She confirmed that she lied to Ada’s mother about her job.
As at the time of this report the mother of two has been handed over to NAPTIP for further interrogation.
Culled from Oscar Iguisi
Dada Okonji Hails Gov. Okowa’s Victory At Tribunal **Says Stronger Delta Agenda Is Sure
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Oshimili South Local Government,PDP Chairman Ogbueshi Dada Okonji has hailed the victory of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa at the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
The Tribunal on Friday, September 20, 2019 declared Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa winner of the March 9, 2019 Delta State governorship election.
According to a statement, Ogbueshi Dada Okonji said that the judgement of the Tribunal was a testimony to the fact that the people of Delta State want Governor Okowa to sustain the development trend in the state.
He said that the victory was assured because Senator Ifeanyi Okowa won convincingly at the last gubernatorial poll, following the large turnout of Deltans who expressed their satisfaction with his governance with their ballots.
While describing the Tribunal ruling as fair and transparent, the Oshimili South PDP Chairman, appealed to Deltans to give their overwhelming support to the Governor and endorse his policies and programmes towards achieving a Stronger Delta.
“On behalf of the entire members of Oshimili South People who voted overwhelmingly for him and our party,we greet and congratulate His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeany Okowa, Governor of Delta State, on this great and wonderful occasion.
“God has vindicated him and the people of Delta State as well. God has once again affirmed the Governor’s calling to the service of the people of Delta State and it is our collective prayer that He who called him will guide, protect and give him the wisdom and enablement to move our great state to another level of prosperity, in line with the Governor’s new mantra of a Stronger Delta State.
By: Ike Abiagom
Group Calls on Governor Okowa to probe the Activities of SEEFOR over Contract Scam
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] group, “Kill Corruption Now” has called on the Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to investigate the activities of the State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR), alleging lack of transparency in the award of contracts by SEEFOR.
In a statement on Friday, September 20, 2019 by its President, Mr Fox Tams and made available to newsmen, the group implored the Governor and the Commissioner for Economic Planning to beam search light on the activities of SEEFOR in the state, saying that it was not representing the interest of Deltans.
The group wrote thus; “We have been monitoring the activities of SEEFOR in Delta State and wish to state clearly that the activities of the organisation is nothing to write home about. There is no transparency in the award of contracts by SEEFOR in Delta State and this is very bad and affecting service delivery in the state”
The group alleged that; “Our investigation revealed that some Contractors in June this year, bidded for the One Hundred Meters Interlocking of Joseph Timiyan Close and the Sweeping of the Airport Road (From Effurun/ Sapele road to the Ogunu Bridge) in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state, but the Evaluation Team of SEEFOR manipulated the job in favour of a particular contractor (name withheld) who was the highest bidder and has never done any job in the state”.
“We further gathered that those in SEEFOR had said that they will only give out the two jobs to the lowest responsive bidder, but they ended up in giving out the jobs to the highest bidder. These jobs that were not supposed to cost more than Ten Million Naira (N10 Million) were awarded at a whooping sum of N18.3 Million as against those who bidded for as low as N12 million and N13 Million and we want the Governor and the Commissioner for Economic Planning to do the needful by investigating the award of these two contracts in Uvwie Local Government Area and the contracts should be cancelled and given to the lowest bidder for fair play and justice” , the group stated.
The group also said that; “This unholy act has been going on for years in SEEFOR where they award contracts at outrageous amount to themselves and we are saying enough is enough and calling on Governor Okowa and his Commissioner for Economic Planning to carry out proper investigation on the procurement and engineering departments of SEEFOR as they are responsible for the manipulation of the bidding process to suit themselves and cronies. We want the Governor to rid SEEFOR of all bad eggs as they are giving the state a bad image. We have all the dirty contracts awarded by SEEFOR in similar way at our disposal and we will not hesitate to put them in the public domain”.
By: Emeji Kelechi Noble
ELUAKA HAILS OKOWA’S ELECTION TRIBUNAL VICTORY
[dropcap]P[/dropcap]rominent Deltan and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Adizue Eluaka 1st Member Delta State Capital Territory Development Commission has congratulated Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal’s judgement on Friday.
The tribunal had on Friday dismissed the petition filed by Chief Great Ogboru of All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the re-election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and candidate of the PDP in the March 9, 2019 election.
Chief Adizue Eluaka 1st Member Delta State Capital Territory Development Commission described the tribunal judgement in favour of Governor Okowa as a reaffirmation of truth.According to him, the petitions by opposition were mere distractions to divert government attention from its business of ensuring holistic development and delivering the dividends of democracy.
Chief Eluaka congratulated the governor, saying the judgement is good for democracy and the people of the state.He said, “it is a victory for all Deltans. It is a victory for continuity. It is a victory for development. The petitions were equal to electoral gold digging, and the tribunal verdict has dismissed it for what it is ‘lacks merit and opportunistic’. The APC should accept defeat. Our victory was a convincing one. I congratulate Deltans for the victory.”
chief Eluaka said Deltans believe that the elections have come and gone and are already enjoying Governor Okowa’s second term.
“We campaigned vigorously, the people came out to vote massively for Governor Okowa and it was gladdening to note that the wish of the people was upheld by the Tribunal.
“The verdict was a victory for a stronger Delta because, our people have started looking at how the state will be in 2023, they have started enjoying dividends of the second term of Governor Okowa’s administration.
“That Governor Okowa performed in his first tenure was obvious with the way the people voted; we know that the state is a PDP stronghold, but, the love of the people for our Governor based on his performance in his first tenure was evident; they spoke with one voice through their voters’ cards.
“With the zoning formula, Delta North which Governor Okowa is from will do eight years just as Delta Central did eight years through Chief James Ibori and Delta South did eight years through Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, so, it was just natural that the people came out to cast their votes for whom and what they believed in,” Chief Eluaka said.
By: Ike Abiagom
TRIBUNAL: HON. OTIRHUE HAILS OKOWA’S VICTORY, SAYS JUDGEMENT WELL DESERVED
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Chairman and the entire members of Local Government Service Commission ,have commended the Judgment of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba on Friday, September 20, 2019, which affirmed the victory of Senator Okowa as the winner of the March 9, 2019 Governorship election in the State.
Hon.Joseph Otirhue, in a Statement from the office of the Chairman,Local Government Service Commission,on Friday, September 20, described the tribunal Judgment as well deserved, saying the people of Delta State spoke with one voice by voting massively for the Governor in the last Governorship election in the State.
Hon.Otirhue noted that the people of the State clearly demonstrated their preference for Senator Okowa, based on what the Governor achieved across the three senatorial districts, where he established proactiveness, sincerity, unity of purpose, transparency, prudence and the fear of God with the people oriented projects he delivered, adding that Deltans could not have voted for whom they have not tested and confirmed his proven capabilities.
“The Governor’s capacity has been tested and proven by the people. That is what the Judgment of today has demonstrated. He was voted for by every segment of the society in an election that was free and fair, he was voted in an election where Deltans came out in their numbers to exercise their right and express their freewill by voting the candidate of their choice.
“It was an election that complied in all ramification with the INEC guidelines and was in consonance with the Electoral act, and the Tribunal was only doing the needful by affirming the election of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa as the authentic winner of the election.
“We are gladdened by the Judgment of the tribunal, it is another way of affirming the will and wishes of the people who demonstrated trust in him and also in our great party – the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“On behalf of the entire members of Local Government Service Commission and Management, who voted overwhelmingly for him and our party,we greet and congratulate His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeany Okowa, Governor of Delta State, on this great and wonderful occasion.
“God has vindicated him and the people of Delta State as well. God has once again affirmed the Governor’s calling to the service of the people of Delta State and it is our collective prayer that He who called him will guide, protect and give him the wisdom and enablement to move our great state to another level of prosperity, in line with the Governor’s new mantra of a Stronger Delta State.
By: Ike Abiagom
ACNPN Congratulates Gov. Okowa on his victory at the tribunal
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ssociation of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN), Delta State Council, have congratulated His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Authour Okowa, Governor, Delta State,on his victory at the tribunal.
In a letter to the Governor, signed by Sir Cyprian Eboagu, State Publicity Secretary, ACNPN, the group said the victory at the tribunal was well deserved.The letter read: “On behalf of the Association of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigeria, ACNPN, Delta State Council, we congratulate Your Excellency on your well deserved victory at the tribunal.
The group added: “We the publishers of community newspapers across the state are very much committed to collaborating with your administration by ensuring that your programmes and projects are executed according to your administration’s specifications through our assessments and reports from the grassroots.
“We believe that as we report the feelings, aspirations and expectations of our people at the grassroots to the world,
your government will continue to take the advantage of our professional impute as you raise the bar of governance
through your successful SMART Agenda.
“We appreciate your co-operation and support during your first tenure and pray for an improved collaboration and support for the community newspapers who are agents of transformation, education and information dissemination in our rural communities.”
ACNPN wished the Governor divine strength and the needed enabling environment to actualize his dreams for Deltans as enunciated in his speech during the swearing-in ceremony.The publishers promised to continue to be supportive of the Governor’s laudable projects and programmes geared towards giving prosperity to all Deltans, as they appealed to members of the association to continue to guide their reporters and correspondents to live up to the tenets of good and positive journalism by ensuring professionalism.
ACNPN thanked the judiciary for affirming the Governor’s electoral victory by dismissing Ogboru’s petition and that of his party, the APC.
Zenith Bank 4th edition of Delta Principals’ Cup Football Competition Kicks Off Sept 30
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he 2019/2020 edition of Zenith Bank Delta Principals’ Cup football competition will officially kick off in the state on Monday, September 30, 2019.
Addressing a press conference in Asaba on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah, disclosed however, that the preliminary stages of the competition, which is in it’s 4th edition, will hold from Monday, September 23, 2019 to Friday, October 11, 2019 in all local government areas of the state.
According to Chief Ukah, the zonal stages of the competition will take place across 10 centres in the state between Wednesday, October 16, 2019 and Monday, October 21, 2019, while the quarter final encounters will hold on Wednesday, October 30, 2019.
The semi- finals will be played on Monday, November 4, 2019, just as the 3rd place match and the finals will take place on Thursday, November 21, 2019 at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
The commissioner stated that as another veritable way of encouraging participation in sports, the state government is to give cash awards to all schools that come out tops in each local government area.
He used the medium to appreciate Zenith Bank Plc for its efforts towards identifying with the state government to promote school sports in the state.
About 850 private and public secondary schools have so far registered to participate in this year’s edition of the competition.
