Edo Police Command Denies Prior Intelligence on Deadly Attack on APC’s Okpebholo and former deputy governor Shaibu

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……. Says It’s Not Duty of Police to Enforce Court Judgement.

The Edo State Police Command on Friday punctured the allegation made against the embattled deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, as being the sponsor of Thursday’s deadly political violence at the exit gate of the Benin Airport in which a police inspector, Onuh Akoh, attached to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Monday Okpebholo, was killed, while the candidate and Shaibu escaped death by the whiskers.
Recall that in a swift reaction to the heinous incident, the state government, in a statement by Chris Osa Nehikhare, commissioner for information and orientation, alleged that the gun attack was perpetrated by “thugs and elements working in connivance with former Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, in the guise of purportedly enforcing a judgement reinstating him in office”.
The APC however fired back, in a statement by Orobosa Omo-Ojo, the director of publicity of the APC Governorship Campaign Council who alleged that “Those that committed the murder of Inspector Akoh and attempted to assassinate Senator Okpebholo, are the hired criminals who were identified by security agents present at the scene as representatives of the opposition party”.
According to Nehikhare, “Shaibu led thugs through the Airport Road axis of Benin City, attacking innocent citizens and unleashing mayhem on private citizens who were going about their lawful businesses”. Warning him “to desist from this turn to violence in the pretense that he is enforcing a judgement”, the government reminded Shaibu that “he is not above the law and is liable for the wanton destruction perpetrated by him and his co-travelers”.

This allegation is however at variance with the position of the commissioner of police, Funsho Adegboye, who said in a statement on Friday signed by the police public relations officer, PPRO, Chidi Nwabuzor, superintendent of police, SP, that the attack was perpetrated by “hoodlums suspected to be political thugs” who fired at the motorcade of Okpebholo and Shaibu” at about 1 pm. Adegboye vowed “to arrest, name, shame, and bring to book” the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
According to police account of what transpired, “Rt. Hon. Philip Shuaibu and Sen. Monday Okpebholo arrived at Benin Airport from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where their supporters in thousands rally round to welcome them. Suddenly, some hoodlums suspected to be political thugs emerged from nowhere with guns and other dangerous weapons and started shooting sporadically. In the process, bullets hit a Police Inspector, Insp Onuh Akoh, personnel of No. 45 Police Mobile Force Abuja attached to Sen. Monday Okpebholo. The Police Inspector gave up the ghost on the way to the hospital for treatment and his body deposited at the military hospital in Benin City”.
At a follow-up press conference later, CP Adegboye hinted that the command had gotten some of the names of those who carried out the dastardly act that led to the death of one of its officers, stating that those found guilty after thorough investigation, “will not be spared but will be made to face the full wrath of the law”.
He said it is not the responsibility of the police to enforce court judgements, but that of the bailiff, albeit with police protection, and advised politicians who secured any court judgement to pursue such to its logical conclusion in the court.
Reacting to the allegation of not acting on available intelligence, the police boss insisted that there was no prior information warning of such attack.
Adegboye said “There was no intelligence report; but all we could say is that there were a lot of supporters. Nobody gave intelligence report that something is going to happen. I was at the airport to see things for myself and with my men to ensure that law and order was maintained. No single incident within the airport. People were dancing, happy, until outside the airport premises”.
Expressing sadness at the loss of its personnel in the ugly incident, the police command warned political gladiators in the state to play the game according to the rules and stop dragging the police into it.
According to Adegboye, “It is unfortunate we lost him. It is a very preventable issue. It is very avoidable. I want to appeal to all our gladiators, political actors, if we play the game according to the rules, the ugly incident would not have happened. This time around, I am talking to our political gladiators generally irrespective of party affiliations, including their supporters.
“It is a simple thing. If there is a court case, this has to be pursued to a logical conclusion in the court. This is to make the job of the police simple. Our job is simple, if our political gladiators want us to make it so. You have a judgement, and you have another judgement; whatever, please, pursue it in the court.
“It is not the duty of the police to now say, go and enforce. The court will direct the Bailiff to enforce most judgements. It is the duty of the police to protect the Bailiff for the safety of the Bailiff and the instructions will come from the appropriate quarters”.
In an earlier press statement, the police commissioner, on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, and the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force commiserated with the wife, children, family and friends of the slain Inspector Akoh “for the loss of our gallant fallen hero” and prayed that God would grant him eternal rest.
The statement said “The CP wants to use this sad moment to appeal to the general public to remain calm, continue to be law-abiding citizens, and go about their lawful businesses; that the Police and other Sister Security agencies are in firm control of the security situations in the state. He therefore warns criminal and incogitant elements in the state to desist from any act capable of breaking down the law and order or undermining the inviolable sanctity of the peace in the state.
“The CP reiterates the command’s inexhaustible commitments in protecting the lives and property of the law-abiding citizens of Edo State and the general public. He, however, vows to arrest, name, shame, and bring to book the perpetrators of this dastardly act”.