Former House of Representatives member Abdul Oroh has urged the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to investigate allegations of invasion and disruption of lawful Assembly by some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State.
The former Information Commissioner specifically asked the police to call to order certain chieftains, including Major-General Friday Airende (retd), Education Commissioner, Chairman of Owan East Council Andrew Osigwe, his deputy, Ohis Igbarago, Abdulmumuni Bello, and Zuberu Shaba.
He lamented that some thugs sympathetic to the APC leaders attacked Comrade Carlis Imolore, an Auchi Polytechnic teacher, with axe, thereby creating panic in the entire North District.
The APC leaders, who are supporters of Governor Godwin Obaseki, have denied the allegations.
They said Oroh, who is in Adam Oshiomhole’s camp, was playing politics.
In his petition to the police boss, Oroh said while some Owan East APC leaders had scheduled meeting, which agenda was to foster unity, reconciliation amonh members, reactivate the base of the party and to garner more support for the plstform ahead of the November 16 governorship poll, the peaceful meeting was violently invaded.
He said party members who had converged on Havina Hotel, Afuze, were taken aback by the unruly behaviour.
The letter reads: “On Sunday, the 27th of October, 2019, the above mentioned persons with support from the Owan East Vigilante Members and others yet to be identified criminal collaborators and thugs, armed with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons, in a commando style, attacked a meeting of Edo North APC leaders in Ivbiaro, Owan East, Edo State and succeeded in causing grievous harms and injuries to several people, which includes Comrade Carlis Imolore, a Lecturer, Auchi Polytechnics, Auchi, Edo State and Pa Roland Edeki, a 90 year old retired Chief Superintendent of Police and destroyed vehicles worth several millions of Naira including that of Hon. Foly Ogedengbe, former Majority Leader, Edo State House of Assmbly and that of Mr. Ladipo Michael Olime and other members.
“They also smashed plastic chairs, tables and canopies hired to accommodate the members.
“Before the meeting on 27th October, 2019, our clients had applied to the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, Mr. Mohammed Dan Mallam (AIG) through The Area Commander of Igarra, ACP Salisu Mohammed Adamu and the Divisional Police Officer, Afuze Division, Mr. Matthew Asemo, CSP and approval was granted.
“We also informed the Director of Department of State Security, DSS, Owan East, Commander of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, (EME), Auchi and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp. “The Police properly approved our request for the meeting. I also spoke to the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, the DPO, Afuze Division and the Area Commander. They all assured me that adequate security will be provided during and after the meeting.
“The meeting was previously scheduled to take place at Havina Hotel, Afuze and all arrangements were concluded before the DPO Afuze Division informed us that the Local Government Chairman Hon. Andrew Osigwe has directed him that “on no account should he allow any meeting to hold in Owan East Local Government without his approval” and that our meeting must be cancelled. He then threatened that if he allowed it to hold, he (DPO) should accept the consequences that come with it.
“According to the DPO, the Chairman claimed it was the directive of Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
The DPO then advised us to move the meeting to a private location. We then decided to move the meeting to the compound of Barrister Ibrahim Bawa at Ivbiaro, Owan East Local Government Area.
“At about 12:30 pm on Sunday, 27th October 2019, as members were arriving the venue, we saw a number of 18 Seater Buses belonging to Owan East Line, driving towards the venue. Initially, we thought they were members coming from various parts of Owan East and Owan West Local Government Areas, but we were mistaken as they were conveying the Owan East Vigilante Members and thugs armed to the teeth with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons.
“They stormed the new venue of the meeting with Andrew Osigwe who drove his official Hilux van, Jimoh Ijegbai who came with some other unidentified thugs in his official vehicle and other aforementioned persons in the lead.
“Immediately Major General Airende(Rtd.) came out his vehicle, he ordered the six soldiers who were deployed by the Military as requested to enter their vehicle and leave immediately and they obeyed and left the venue. No Police officer was sighted at the venue. Only the Divisional Director of SSS in Afuze, witnessed the whole saga.
“Immediately the soldiers left, the thugs were asked to “shoot anybody who refused to leave as the governor had directed that the meeting must not hold and it will not hold”. Then the thugs went into action savagely beating and clubbing everyone on sight and vandalizing cars, chairs tables and canopies.
“The members of the Vigilante Group mounted several roadblocks to prevent our members from escaping and also to inflict maximum injuries on them and indeed inflicted injuries on innocent citizens who have not committed any crime known to our laws.
“As this mayhem continued, Osigwe who is the linchpin was shouting “where is Oroh? Where is Bawa? Shey them say they get power?”