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Edo Guber: I Didn’t Approve Any Protest At Party Secretariat, Says Labour Party Aspirant Olumide Akpata

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Edo State Labour party governorship Aspirant, Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata has debunked rumours accusing him of initiating the protest which took place on Sunday at the Labour party state secretariat in the state capital.

In a statement released on Monday, Akpata said the rumours are baseless, false and ridiculous.

 “It has come to my attention that there was a protest on Sunday, Sunday, 4th February 2024, at the Labour Party State Secretariat in Benin City, Edo State, which allegedly turned violent. I want to clearly and unequivocally state that I have absolutely no knowledge of this protest, nor have I sanctioned or approved it in any way. The baseless rumours and insinuations that have been mischievously circulated that these protesters are carrying out my bidding are totally false, unfounded, and quite frankly ridiculous.

He also said the rumours emanated from certain quarters within and outside the party who are against his quest to be the party’s flagbearer.

“As a loyal, dedicated member of the Labour Party who has invested significant time, energy, and resources towards building and strengthening the Party across Edo State since I joined, it is both laughable and utterly despicable that I would be linked to any kind of violent protest at the Party’s secretariat. It is very likely that these bogus allegations and rumours are emanating from certain quarters within and even outside the Labour Party that are opposed to my emerging as the Labour Party’s gubernatorial flagbearer in the upcoming February 22, 2024, primary elections.

“In their desperation, they have resorted to underhanded tactics and smear campaigns to undermine my widespread credibility, acceptability, and support base within and outside the Party in Edo State and across the country. Amusingly, this is quite similar to an earlier campaign of calumny that sought to link me to acts of violence meted out against a former National Youth Leader of the Party in Benin City. This is yet another ludicrous attempt to unjustly give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.

“I want to categorically state that I, my campaign organisation, supporters, and well-wishers do not engage in, encourage, or sanction any kind of violence or unwholesome conduct. These puerile allegations are the products of malicious minds that are aimed at unfairly and irreparably tarnishing my hard-earned reputation, image, and rising popularity as a foremost gubernatorial aspirant of choice within the Labour Party in Edo State.

“The good and discerning people of Edo State and Nigerians at large know what I stand for. They know my antecedents and that my track record is one of integrity, maturity, and excellence. As such, these attempts to unjustly smear my character by linking me to acts I have no knowledge of or involvement in will certainly fail.

“As a lawyer of more than 30 years, I fully understand that peaceful protest is the fundamental right of every Nigerian citizen, guaranteed by the constitution and upheld by the courts of the land. Law-abiding citizens have a right to freely associate and to protest, provided that this is done peacefully and legally without threatening lives or property.

 “However, if any person has acted unlawfully in the course of this alleged protest, I strongly urge that they be promptly reported to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for proper investigation and possible prosecution as provided by our laws.

“In conclusion, I once again reject all insinuations and rumours linking me or my supporters to this purported protest. I remain focused and steadfast in pursuit of my gubernatorial aspirations in a lawful and peaceful manner, upholding the principles of tolerance and justice.

“I have confidence in the discerning wisdom of members of the Labour Party, Edo people, and indeed Nigerians to reject all forms of violence, propaganda, and deceit. United in our diversity, we shall build a greater Edo State.”

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The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has confirmed that one person died while two others sustained injuries in a road accident along Ikorodu Road, Lagos.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by LASTMA spokesperson, Taofiq Adebayo, the incident occurred at the Idi-Iroko inward Ogolonto axis when a fully loaded commercial Mazda bus collided with a speeding articulated truck.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the Mazda bus, with registration number LND 490 SD, was recklessly competing for right of way when it crashed into the truck, registered as EKY 121 YJ.

“One passenger, who was seated at the doorway of the bus, was flung out of the vehicle and unfortunately crushed under the rear tyres of the truck,” Adebayo disclosed.

He added that two other passengers, a man and a woman, sustained serious injuries and were rushed by ambulance to Ikorodu General Hospital for urgent medical attention.

Police officers on the scene handed over the deceased’s remains to the victim’s family, while the damaged vehicles were promptly removed to restore free traffic flow.

Adebayo expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and advised motorists to avoid reckless driving on Lagos roads.

“This sad incident could have been avoided if traffic rules were obeyed. LASTMA will continue to educate, caution, and where necessary, sanction reckless drivers. We urge all road users to put safety first,” he said.

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Crime

60-year-old man arrested for raping Lagos lady

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The Lagos State Police Command, Gender Unit, has arrested a 60-year-old man, Ajayi Femi, for allegedly raping a 24-year-old lady.

The command disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

The spokesperson for the command, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly spiked the survivor’s drink, rendering her unconscious, before having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

The incident took place on August 22, 2025, and was reported by the victim’s sister to the police at the Meiran Police Station before being transferred to the Gender Unit of the command for further investigation.

“Medical examinations conducted by the Gender Unit corroborated the survivor’s account, while the suspect reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation,” the statement read.

The command revealed that the suspect confessed to the crime during interrogation and has since been remanded in prison custody until the next adjourned date.

It added, “The command remains committed to ensuring justice for survivors of sexual offences.”

This case comes weeks after operatives of the command arrested a 45-year-old man in Ikotun for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl.

The incident, which attracted widespread outrage, reignited calls from rights activists for stiffer penalties against sex offenders.

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Seven Cult Suspects Arrested in Akwa Ibom with Human Skull

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The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested seven individuals suspected of cult-related activities in Ikot Osura, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area.

According to the command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, the suspects—allegedly members of the banned “Ku Klux Klan” confraternity—were apprehended on August 28, 2025.

The arrest followed a report by a student of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, who was attacked on August 25 after renouncing his membership in the group. The victim was left unconscious, and his phone and ₦41,000 were stolen during the assault.

Acting on the report, police operatives launched a targeted operation that led to the arrest of the suspects: Douglas Ambe Esikhene, Stephen Asukwo Effiong, Saviour Dany Akpan, Emmanuel Friday Umoh, Augustine Uduak Okon, Mary Ating Asukwo, and Itohowo Christopher Uko.

A search of their hideout led to the recovery of a locally made short gun, seven live cartridges, a fresh human skull, a bottle containing a black substance suspected to be ritual oil, and another bottle believed to contain Guyanese oil used for rituals.

DSP John confirmed that investigations are ongoing, with efforts underway to apprehend more members of the group and recover additional evidence.

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