APC and police disagree over attacks on Okpebholo and Shaibu in Edo

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo has accused the state police command of involvement in the attacks on its governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo, and the re-elected deputy governor, Philip Shaibu.

Gunmen attacked the two as they left Benin Airport shortly after they arrived from Abuja on Thursday.

A police inspector was killed while three other officers were seriously injured in the attack.

At a press conference on Friday, the Media Director, APC Campaign Council for the September 21 general elections in the state, Kassim Afegbua, demanded the dismissal of the state Commissioner of Police, Funso Adegboye.

He said the murder of the police was witnessed by CP.

Afegbua said his party had petitioned the Inspector General of Police to investigate the case and examine how the police commissioner was undermining the role of the police.

According to him, a number of political party members who saw CP at the airport had received intelligence information about the incident that was going to happen, but unfortunately he ignored it.

He said: “It is sad to note that while the brutal shooting was taking place, Adeboye was at Benin Airport and he did nothing to thwart the brutal attack that led to the death of one of his officers.

“As fate would have it, our candidate’s police attaché was killed, while our candidate and the deputy governor escaped death.

“From the eyewitness accounts, it is very clear that some of these criminals were members of the Edo Vigilante Network who were fully dressed in their uniforms.

“The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, has wilfully violated the responsibility imposed on him by law, namely the protection of lives and property within his jurisdiction.

“To date, Edo State has been in a state of lawlessness caused by the uncontrolled supply of arms being paraded by members of the Edo State Vigilante Network who were recruited without any formal training.”

He described the attack on the APC candidate as an assassination attempt.

Adegboye, however, absolved himself of blame in the mess.

He dismissed claims that intelligence information was shared with him before the attack.

“I got information that some people were gathering at the airport, the supporters and I went in there because our aim was to maintain law and order. If we find a crowd, we will go there.

“So we were there, me and my men and after those people left the airport, we learned about the shooting that led to the death of the inspector.

“Nobody gave me any information about what was going to happen. There was not a single incident at the airport site,” CP said.

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