10 People killed, 50 houses burnt in Edo kingship tussleThe tussle over the 'Aidonogie' stool in South Ibie clan in Etsako West Local Government area of Edo State took a bloody turn over the week end as supporters of the two claimants engaged themselves in a fight that left no fewer than 10 persons dead and over 50 houses and many cars burnt.Although, the police confirmed only two persons dead in the two-day battle, Daily Independent gathered that the communal war was still raging last night with women, children and the aged relocating to neighbouring towns and villages.It will be recalled that a Benin High Court, presided over by Justice M. O Ighodaro, on Wednesday restrained Edo State Government from presenting the staff of office to Kelvin Aliyu Danesi on May 23 or any other day pending the determination of a motion on notice brought before it by counsel to the plaintiffs, Roland Otaru (SAN).Chief Shaibu Imogere, Prince Abu Umoru, and Prince Yesufu Umoru, plaintiffs in the suit, filed the action for themselves and on behalf of the Ogiator branch of Okhokho ruling house.Reports had it that despite the court order, the Aidonogie palace was still putting every arrangement in place for the governor to perform the ceremony on May 23 and this was said to have provoked supporters of the other factionReacting to the latest development, however, Danesi told newsmen that the crisis was fueled by the chairman of the Estako West Local council, Gani Audu.He insisted that Oshiomhole did not recognize him because they were friends, adding that successive regimes of Lucky Igbinedion who presented him with the staff of office and Prof. Osunbor have already recognized him as the ruler of the townBut the Vice-Chairman of the local government. Jimoh Omogbeni, denied the accusation, insisting that as the chief security officer of the council, the chairman was out to ensure that peace and order were maintained in the area.In another development, 17 persons were on Sunday killed on the Lagos-Benin Expressway when a Toyota Hiace commuter bus plunged into Aden River near Okada Town in Edo State.This is coming barely 48 hours after 60 persons were similarly roasted inside a luxury bus on Benin-Auchi-Abuja Expressway.Daily Independent gathered that the Benin bound vehicle which took off from Ojota Motor Park in Lagos had a head-on collision while struggling the with a truck belonging to a construction firm which was carrying out repairs on the road.The bus, said to be carrying 20 persons made up of 17 males, one female and two children, then lunged into the river.The three survivors in the accident were rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).As at press time, officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) were still busy trying to recover the bus from the river.Some of the recovered bdies were deposited at the UBTH mortuary.The luxury bus that claimed 60 lives on Friday, according to reports, was heading to Onitsha from Sokoto when it collided with a broken down tanker conveying diesel oil.
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