Tag: Edo State

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Court jails five internet fraudsters in Benin

The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction of five internet fraudsters before Justice M. Itsueli of the Edo State High Court in Benin City.

This was disclosed in a statement by the anti-graft agency on Wednesday , noting that credible intelligence exposed their involvements in fraudulent internet activities

The convicts, Ayo Korede, Ogbemudia Osaretin, Harry Ehimien, Osasumwen Osahenator and Efosa Richard, were prosecuted on separate one-count charges bordering on impersonation, obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime, and possession of fraudulent documents.

One of the charges read: “That you Ogbemudia Osaretin on or about the 31st of July, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession, in your iPhone 14 Pro Max, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained a false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges. Prosecution counsel I. M. Elodi, I. K. Agwai, K. Y. Bello, A. A. Ibrahim, Ibrahim Faisal and M. S. Dahiru urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while defence counsel appealed for leniency, saying the convicts were remorseful.

Justice Itsueli sentenced Korede, Osaretin, Osahenator and Richard to two years in prison each or a fine of N200,000, while Ehimien was given two years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000, with an option of community service.

The EFCC said,”All the convicts forfeited their phones, laptop computers and balances in their respective bank accounts, being the tools and proceeds of their crimes, to the federal government, and further undertook in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth.” (Punch)

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Supreme Court reserves judgment in Edo gov election appeal

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, over the outcome of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State.

The apex court made this decision after hearing arguments for and against the appeal.

The appeal challenges the result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, which announced Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election.

The appeal was heard by a five-member panel of justices led by Justice Garba Lawal.

Ighodalo’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Ken Mozia, asked the court to overturn the judgments of the lower courts, which had upheld INEC’s declaration of Okpebholo as winner.

On May 29, 2025, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed the ruling of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

Both courts dismissed Ighodalo’s petition, describing it as lacking merit.

On April 2, 2025, a three-member panel of the tribunal, chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, dismissed the petition filed by the PDP and Ighodalo, citing the petitioners’ failure to prove claims of over-voting and electoral irregularities.

The petition, marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, alleged that Okpebholo did not win the highest number of lawful votes and that the election was marred by widespread irregularities, over-voting, and violations of the Electoral Act.

The PDP and Ighodalo alleged that the election involved incorrect collation of figures, errors in vote computation in 765 polling units, and a failure by INEC to serialise ballot papers or pre-record sensitive materials.

They claimed this enabled electoral malpractice in favour of the APC and its candidate.

During the trial, the petitioners called 19 witnesses and subpoenaed a Senior Technical Officer from INEC’s ICT department, who brought 154 BVAS machines from 133 polling units to support claims of over-voting.

INEC did not present any witnesses.

Okpebholo called one witness, while the APC presented four.

While the PDP asked the tribunal to nullify the election based on the evidence, the respondents countered that the case lacked merit.

They argued that Ighodalo failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he won the election or that there was significant non-compliance with the law.

Justice Kpochi, in the tribunal’s judgment, said, “We hold that the failure by the petitioners to call polling unit agents, presiding officers or other registered voters was fatal to the case.

“It still remains the law that documents do not speak for themselves. A petitioner must prove their evidence. The allegation of non-compliance must be proved.

“The BVAS machines were clearly dumped and remain dormant. None of the witnesses could speak to the BVAS machine. The machines were not demonstrated to prove the allegations of over-voting.

“All the evidence documents tendered by the petitioners to prove over-voting fall short of the requirements. The law requires that the petitioners shall call witnesses to link the evidence rendered.”

On the petitioners’ claims that INEC did not comply with electoral guidelines, Justice Kpochi ruled, “The petitioners failed to prove that the first defendant did not comply with the provisions of the electoral act or INEC rules of conduct as required by law.”

Regarding claims of missing serial numbers on ballots, the tribunal ruled, “There are figures here.”

The court also dismissed claims of a lack of prior recording of materials used in the poll.

In the final result announced by INEC, Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes while Ighodalo came second with 247,655 votes. (Punch)

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Okpebholo threatens to terminate projects of non-performing contractors

The governor of Edo State, Sen. Monday Okpebholo on Wednesday threatened to revoke the projects of non-performing contractors, urging them to step up and work according to specifications and meet agreed deadlines of projects or risk termination of their contracts. 

Okpebholo stated this while on an inspection tour of some roads and drainage projects in the State where he expressed his dissatisfaction on the rate of work in some areas particularly frowning at the slow pace of work at Orior-Ozolua Community, where residents also complained that the contractor was seldom on site.

The governor who personally inspected the thickness of the drainage in the community said he was not pleased at the specifications of the drain instructing the contractor to do the right thing or his contract would be revoked.

“Why did you reduce the width of the drain? You reduced it on both sides. Look at my face, if you are not doing the right thing and not working according to specifications, I can revoke the contract any moment without fear or favour. I need you to do a quality job, it is the people’s resources and must be utilized effectively and efficiently”.

A resident in the community, Slyvester Igbinovia who was among the jubilant crowd that welcomed the governor, complained about the slow pace of work by the contractor handling the road and drainage projects.

“Mr. Gov this contractor is just too slow on this job, they close before 2 pm when they are on site but most times they are not on site. They are here today your excellency, I am sure they know that you are coming that’s why they are here today”.

The governor and his entourage also inspected ongoing roads and drainage projects at, Orior Uteh palace road, New Uteh road Ekiuwa Quarters, Upper Ekheuan open drain by Nigerian Army Cantonment amongst others areas.

A jubilant crowd who received the governor and his entourage in all the areas visited thanked him for remembering them as they said previous administrations have forgotten that these areas existed and they prayed for the success of the governor and his administration in the State. (Vanguard)