Oshiomhole, Obaseki feud worsens as supporters tackle each other
EDO State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu spent over four hours at the Edo
Police headquarters on Sunday night to secure the release of Special Adviser
to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Security, Andrew Momodu. He was taken to
Abuja on Monday.
Momodu was arrested at about 9 pm on Sunday by policemen from Abuja
following a petition that he was among those who stoned the Benin City
residence of All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole.
Also invited for questioning by the Police are Special Adviser to Obaseki on
Political Matters (Edo South) Osaigbovo Iyoha, head of Obaseki’s Public Works
Volunteer (PUWOV) Murtari Osagie, and his associates Albert Obazee, Kelly
Okungbowa and Augustine Edosomwan.
The Abuja police team eventually released Momodu on the grounds that Shaibu
would make him and others available for questioning in Abuja, tomorrow.
Momodu said he was harassed and locked up in a cell after his arrest in a
Gestapo style on his way home from work along Airport Road in Benin City.
He said: “I left my church programme and went to my business place along
Airport Road. After taking stock of sales, I decided to go home.
“As I was going home, I saw some persons jump down from Hilux van. They
said they were policemen and I told them to calm down. I demanded their
identity cards and they showed me. This was around 9 am.
“One of them came behind me and kicked me. They said they would lift me.
There were other civilians inside the Hilux. When I got inside their vehicle, they
said they were taking me to Police headquarters.
“When we got there, one of them said they should tie my hand and my leg. The
other one said they should handcuff me. I told them I was not going to run
away from their cell.
“They brought out a detention order where I saw they wrote conspiracy and
attempted murder. They made some calls and they were ordered that I should
be detained. I was kept insidè the cell.
“My wife had to cry out before my people were able to trace me. They said I
recruited youths. They never showed me any petition.”
Momodu said he sought to know his offence and was told that a petition could
be verbal.
He was also accused of being a cultist.
“They said I was recruiting people intending to initiate them into cultism. I told
them it was not true. They said I was harassing people and attacking them in
Benin and Etsako.
“They never showed me any petition. They said what they asked me is part of
the allegation raised against me. They said I possessed firearms.
“This morning, I got a call from one Kabuebue; he said I should find something
for them that they are hungry. This evening, I received a call from him and he
asked me where I was. I told him I was at my petrol station. It was not up to
five minutes that the Police arrived. I am sure he was among the boys in the
Hilux,” Momodu said.
Shaibu urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu to
intervene.
He said: “We discovered that some persons were up to something. We will
investigate and get to the bottom of this. We were elected to protect lives and
properties which is enshrined in the constitution. Not even an appointee can be
arrested without our knowledge. We will follow up to know what the issues are.
“The Governor promised there must be law and order. We are on the same
page with the Police when it comes to protecting lives and ensuring law and
order. We must be free.
“No one man can dictate our destiny. We are moving the destiny of Edo to the
next level. Six of them have been invited. The names I am seeing there are not
criminals. There is nothing to worry about.”
Also on Monday, a pressure group in the APC, the Edo People’s Movement
(EPM), accused Governor Godwin Obaseki of being behind an attack on its
members on Sunday.
It said in a statement by Gideon Obhakhan that its members were meeting at
Ivbiaro when political thugs struck.
The thugs were said to have been led by some party members, including the
Commissioner for Education Ijegbai Jimoh, who denied the allegation.
EPM said the thugs shot sporadically and used harmful weapons freely, with
many of its members wounded and hospitalised.
The statement adds: “This senseless attack is a fulfilment of recent threats by
Edo State governor to deal ruthlessly with any opposition and voice of dissent,
in his desperate bid to return himself as governor of Edo State despite his
massive rejection by Edo people.
“Edo People’s Movement hereby condemns in very strong terms this barbaric
act which is uncalled for in a democracy where the freedom of association is a
fundamental right of every citizen.
“This attack is yet another one added to the series of unwarranted intimidation
and threats of demolition of properties belonging to members of Edo People’s
Movement.
“EPM will like to seize this opportunity to again call on the Inspector General of
Police and other relevant security agencies to call Mr Obaseki to order so that
we can avoid a situation of complete lawlessness and anarchy in Edo State,
which was hitherto peaceful before the unfortunate emergence of Mr Godwin
Obaseki as governor.”
Jimoh denied any involvement in the alleged attack.
He claimed he was not at the meeting venue nor did he sponsor anyone to
attack EPM members.
He said: “I’m a lawyer of 26 years. I was called to the Bar on December 15,
1993. Therefore, I can never be brought to violence over anything at all. The
truth is that EPM is divided in Owan East.”
EDO State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu spent over four hours at the Edo
Police headquarters on Sunday night to secure the release of Special Adviser
to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Security, Andrew Momodu. He was taken to
Abuja on Monday.
Momodu was arrested at about 9 pm on Sunday by policemen from Abuja
following a petition that he was among those who stoned the Benin City
residence of All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole.
Also invited for questioning by the Police are Special Adviser to Obaseki on
Political Matters (Edo South) Osaigbovo Iyoha, head of Obaseki’s Public Works
Volunteer (PUWOV) Murtari Osagie, and his associates Albert Obazee, Kelly
Okungbowa and Augustine Edosomwan.
The Abuja police team eventually released Momodu on the grounds that Shaibu
would make him and others available for questioning in Abuja, tomorrow.
Momodu said he was harassed and locked up in a cell after his arrest in a
Gestapo style on his way home from work along Airport Road in Benin City.
He said: “I left my church programme and went to my business place along
Airport Road. After taking stock of sales, I decided to go home.
“As I was going home, I saw some persons jump down from Hilux van. They
said they were policemen and I told them to calm down. I demanded their
identity cards and they showed me. This was around 9 am.
“One of them came behind me and kicked me. They said they would lift me.
There were other civilians inside the Hilux. When I got inside their vehicle, they
said they were taking me to Police headquarters.
“When we got there, one of them said they should tie my hand and my leg. The
other one said they should handcuff me. I told them I was not going to run
away from their cell.
“They brought out a detention order where I saw they wrote conspiracy and
attempted murder. They made some calls and they were ordered that I should
be detained. I was kept insidè the cell.
“My wife had to cry out before my people were able to trace me. They said I
recruited youths. They never showed me any petition.”
Momodu said he sought to know his offence and was told that a petition could
be verbal.
He was also accused of being a cultist.
“They said I was recruiting people intending to initiate them into cultism. I told
them it was not true. They said I was harassing people and attacking them in
Benin and Etsako.
“They never showed me any petition. They said what they asked me is part of
the allegation raised against me. They said I possessed firearms.
“This morning, I got a call from one Kabuebue; he said I should find something
for them that they are hungry. This evening, I received a call from him and he
asked me where I was. I told him I was at my petrol station. It was not up to
five minutes that the Police arrived. I am sure he was among the boys in the
Hilux,” Momodu said.
Shaibu urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu to
intervene.
He said: “We discovered that some persons were up to something. We will
investigate and get to the bottom of this. We were elected to protect lives and
properties which is enshrined in the constitution. Not even an appointee can be
arrested without our knowledge. We will follow up to know what the issues are.
“The Governor promised there must be law and order. We are on the same
page with the Police when it comes to protecting lives and ensuring law and
order. We must be free.
“No one man can dictate our destiny. We are moving the destiny of Edo to the
next level. Six of them have been invited. The names I am seeing there are not
criminals. There is nothing to worry about.”
Also on Monday, a pressure group in the APC, the Edo People’s Movement
(EPM), accused Governor Godwin Obaseki of being behind an attack on its
members on Sunday.
It said in a statement by Gideon Obhakhan that its members were meeting at
Ivbiaro when political thugs struck.
The thugs were said to have been led by some party members, including the
Commissioner for Education Ijegbai Jimoh, who denied the allegation.
EPM said the thugs shot sporadically and used harmful weapons freely, with
many of its members wounded and hospitalised.
The statement adds: “This senseless attack is a fulfilment of recent threats by
Edo State governor to deal ruthlessly with any opposition and voice of dissent,
in his desperate bid to return himself as governor of Edo State despite his
massive rejection by Edo people.
“Edo People’s Movement hereby condemns in very strong terms this barbaric
act which is uncalled for in a democracy where the freedom of association is a
fundamental right of every citizen.
“This attack is yet another one added to the series of unwarranted intimidation
and threats of demolition of properties belonging to members of Edo People’s
Movement.
“EPM will like to seize this opportunity to again call on the Inspector General of
Police and other relevant security agencies to call Mr Obaseki to order so that
we can avoid a situation of complete lawlessness and anarchy in Edo State,
which was hitherto peaceful before the unfortunate emergence of Mr Godwin
Obaseki as governor.”
Jimoh denied any involvement in the alleged attack.
He claimed he was not at the meeting venue nor did he sponsor anyone to
attack EPM members.
He said: “I’m a lawyer of 26 years. I was called to the Bar on December 15,
1993. Therefore, I can never be brought to violence over anything at all. The
truth is that EPM is divided in Owan East.”
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