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Tension In Edo As Sacked Monarch Remains In Palace

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8 years ago

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A High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State has ordered the occupant of the Aidonogie (clan headship) stool in South Ibie, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, Alhaji Aliyu Kelvin Danesi, applicant, to vacate the stool and declaring his emergence and continued  stay as “illegal and unconstitutional.”
Justice A. Ehigiamuso, in his judgement delivered of July 24, 2018,  upheld the verdict of the Court of Appeal and Supreme  Court, which had ruled that the appointment of Danesi is null and void.
The tussle over the Aidonogie had started in 1997 between the Danesi Branch of the Okhokho Ruling House of Iyakpi South Ibie and Ruling House of Oghiator.
According to the counsel to the respondent in the case, the Oghiator Ruling House, Roland Otaru, SAN, court proceedings were initially instituted on two consolidated cases in 1998 before a Benin High Court on the tussle to decide which of the ruling houses should produce the Aidonogie. The court, subsequently, ruled in favour of the Oghiator Ruling House while Danesi, the defendant, appealed to the Court of Appeal. Judgement was delivered by the court on April 7, 2003. Same year, Danesi appealed to the Supreme Court and, by November  27, 2007, the applicant withdrew his appeal which resulted in the dismissal of the case by the Supreme Court.
Citing the lead judgement of the Court of Appeal of 2007, Justice  Ehigiamuso stated, “The stand of this court is that until the judgement  by the Court of Appeal is set aside, all purported actions taken by  either party from 1999-2007 while issues have not been decided by court  are all exercise in futility.
“To conclude then, there is no cause of action before this court as the  issues raised here have already been determined by the Court of  Appeal which judgement subsists, thereby striping this court  of the jurisdiction to adjudicate there to.
“ In an earlier judgement delivered by Justice J.O. Sadoh   (ret.), then of the Edo State High Court, he gave judgement that Danesi was not qualified to be appointed as the Aidonogie.
Being dissatisfied  with the judgement, Danesi filed an Appeal at the Benin Division of the Court of Appeal which also refused his prayer. Expectedly, Danesi appealed to the Supreme Court and, on Nov. 27, 2007, the appeal was dismissed with N10, 000 costs awarded to each of the  respondents.
While the suits were pending in the courts, laws were passed by the  state House of Assembly regarding the said controversy.

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850-bed UCTH overstretched, services 5m patients – CMD

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6 days ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, has said the 850-bed hospital is overstretched, as it currently serves over five million patients.
He disclosed this on Friday during a media tour of the facility to showcase ongoing renovations and facelift in the hospital.
The CMD noted that, aside being the only tertiary healthcare facility servicing the state, UCTH also serviced neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi.
He said the hospital also received referrals from neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.
According to him, the 850-bed hospital faced persistent space constraints because of increasing patients inflow and expanding healthcare demands.
“This hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments as well as  between 30 and 38 wards covering medical, surgical, paediatric, orthopaedic and specialised services.
“Most wards have undergone facelift, remodelling, or complete renovation to improve patient care and working conditions for healthcare professionals”, he said.
He disclosed that the hospital was constructing a new 106-bed emergency medicine facility to address the rising demand for healthcare services.
According to him, the facility will include trauma bays, intensive care units, neonatal wards, and three fully equipped trauma theatres.
Speaking on the remodeled wards, Ikpeme explained that they followed modern nursing principles, allowing one nurse to attend to a maximum of 10 patients.
He said relatives would be restricted to designated waiting areas to reduce interference with medical procedures and improve emergency response efficiency.
The CMD noted that the hospital had strengthened specialist services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, radiology, and minimally invasive surgery.
“UCTH now performs hip and knee replacements, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and complex brain tumour surgeries.
“Our surgeons also conduct keyhole procedures for appendectomy, hysterectomy and other conditions with faster patient recovery periods,” he said
In power, the CMD said the hospital relied on solar power from a seven-megawatt plant, constructed by the Federal Government at the University of Calabar, as well as public power supply, and generators to sustain its operations.
He appealed to governments, organisations, and philanthropists to support infrastructure expansion, equipment procurement, and specialised healthcare projects.
The CMD said the hospital required additional incubators, ward expansions, and a stand-alone amenity facility for private healthcare services.
He used the opportunity to dismiss allegations of ethnic discrimination, insisting that the hospital does not reject workers or patients based on tribe or origin.
According to him, the institution recently honoured an Igbo pioneer physician by naming a ward after him in recognition of decades of service.
The CMD said the hospital maintained strict disciplinary procedures to address negligence, poor attitude, and unethical conduct among staff.
The Tide’s source reports that some of the units visited include, intensive care unit, Department of Radiology, Urology Clinic, and Opthalmology Clinic.
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Police Burst Child Trafficking Syndicate In A’Ibom … Nab 3 Suspects

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6 days ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State says it has busted a child trafficking syndicate and arrested three suspects for conspiracy and unlawful sale of a newborn baby in the State.
The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfom John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Friday, said the three female suspects were arrested on Wednesday at about 1900hrs.
She said a complainant reported that his wife gave birth to a baby boy on May 7 and shockingly, shortly after delivery sold the newborn child to one of the suspects for N145, 000.
“Upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the successful recovery of the baby boy.
“The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation, while investigation has been expanded to identify and apprehend all individuals connected to the trafficking syndicate”, John said.
She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive intelligence-led policing in the state.
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A’Ibom Launches Operation Crack Down Scrap Dealers 

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6 days ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Akwa-Ibom State Government has launched a statewide crackdown on unregistered scrap dealers and scavengers, shutting down illegal operations and arresting operators accused of violating environmental and public safety regulations.
The enforcement operation, led by the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), followed the implementation of the state’s Waste Metal Scrap Law 2026, officials said.
AKSEPWMA Chairman, Obong Prince Ikim, said the exercise was aimed at regulating the scrap sector, protect the environment, and prevent criminal groups from operating under the guise of waste collection and metal trading.
“If you want to do scrap business, you must register,” Mr. Ikim said during the operation in Uyo, the state capital.
“Many people now hide under scrap trading to perpetrate nefarious activities”, he said.
According to him, dump site operators and scrap dealers who failed to register with the government risked closure and prosecution.
Authorities accused some operators of involvement in vandalism of public infrastructure and indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that investigations had uncovered criminal activities linked to several dump sites across the state.
“Some people vandalise government facilities in the name of scrap business and encourage indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” Mr. Ikim said.
He added that the state government and security agencies would continue efforts to enforce compliance and maintain public order.
“The Commissioner of Police has zero tolerance for criminality, and the Governor wants Akwa Ibom people to sleep with their eyes closed. We will fish out every defaulter”, he said.
Police officials involved in the operation said investigations showed that some criminal suspects used scrap yards and refuse dump sites as cover for illegal activities.
CSP Okwuzulike Vincent of the Itam Police Station said some suspects pretended to be mentally unstable while hiding ammunition and other suspicious items in makeshift shelters around dump locations.
The police officer praised the environmental agency for what he described as proactive efforts to sanitise the sector and pledged continued cooperation between law enforcement and the agency.
Officials said some first-time offenders arrested during the operation were released after profiling and signing undertakings, while repeat offenders would face prosecution.
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