Nigeria Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has said that the detained Edo State members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP were arrested in connection with the killing of a police officer attached to the All Progressives Congress, APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo at the Benin Airport a day Philip Shaibu arrived the state after he was reinstated as Edo State Deputy Governor by Federal High Court in Abuja following his impeachment by the State House of Assembly earlier this year.

The IGP who spoke when Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC held an interactive meeting with stakeholders on Wednesday at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin City, ahead of the Edo State governorship election holding next week Saturday did not state or give account of what or how the arrested politicians were connected to the killing of the police officer at the Benin Airport in July, 2024.

According to the IGP, he heard that the PDP Chairman in the state accused him of partisan politics because of the people that were arrested, adding that, if it is an act of partisanship for police to arrest suspects in connection with the killing of a police officer at the Airport, may the opinion of the PDP chairman remain with him forever.

During the week, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki told the Electoral Peace Committee that the Peoples Democratic Party will not sign the peace accord agreement for the election, saying with emphasis that those who should promote peace are already creating violence.

Obaseki said over 10 PDP members in the state have been arrested and the IGP obtained Court order to arrest over 60 members of his own political party, PDP.

The PDP, APC and Labour Party are the three major political parties contesting in the next Saturday gubernatorial election in Edo State.

Obaseki said the action of the IGP has forced many PDP leaders in the state to run away and some others living with fear.

The electoral meeting where the IGP spoke  was attended by Chairmen of Political Parties, candidates, traditional and religious leaders, security agencies, civil society organisations and the media.

The Chairman of the Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, addressed the stakeholders and responded to their electoral and security concerns.

“At the meeting, stakeholders were unanimous in their appeal to the Commission to consider an extension of the period for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) for a few days to enable more voters collect their cards.

Consequently, a three-day extension has been granted from Friday 13th – Sunday 15th September 2024. The cards will be available for collection in our 18 Local Government offices across the State from 9am to 5pm daily.

The Commission appeals to all registered voters who are yet to collect their PVCs to seize the opportunity of the extension to do so. In line with the Commission’s policy, no collection by proxy will be allowed”, according to Sam Olumekun,
National Commissioner and Chairman,
Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC.

in July, we had reported that the Political crisis leading to the death of some police officers in the month of July in Benin City have caused more tension among residents in Edo State after gunmen opened fire at the convoy of the impeached Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu shortly after he arrived Benin Airport to take back his office following the High Court of Justice ruling that his impeachment by the state House of Assembly was illegal and politically motivated.

According to Tony Adun aka Tony Kabaka, the founder of Akugbe Ventures, a commercial vehicle daily revenue or tax collecting company, one hour before the gunmen attacked the politicians, he approached the State Commissioner of Police and the Deputy Commissioner of police whom he said were around the Benin Airport, to inform them of the movements of suspicious persons but nothing was done about it.

Tony Kabaka accused the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki of being behind the gunmen attack.

Tony Kabaka made this known while protesting along the streets of Benin City with the body of one of the police officers shot dead by the attackers.

Tony Kabaka statement was made available through Facebook Live Broadcast by Peniel TV International Benin City Nigeria that covered the protest.

It was gathered that three police officers were shot dead along the Airport road in Benin City.

Another eyewitness account is presented verbatim below as reported by Punch Newspaper: “A police officer identified as Okon, attached to the All Progressives Congress candidate in the September 21 governorship election, Monday Okpebholo, was killed after mobs attacked the convoy of his principal and that of Philip Shaibu, in Benin on Thursday after leaving the Benin Airport.

Shaibu, who was impeached by the State House of Assembly on April 8, but was reinstated on Wednesday after Justice J K Omotosho of the Abuja High Court ruled that he was unjustly impeached.

Shaibu and Okpebholo arrived at the Benin Airport around 2pm to the rousing welcome of supporters.

Airport staff told The Punch that the way police officers acted around Shaibu was a sign that something bad would happen.

He said, “When the plane landed, the way the police officers acted around Shaibu showed that something terrible was going to happen.

“I saw the policeman that was killed. He was outside the VIP lounge waiting for Shaibu’s arrival. I didn’t know that he would lose his life.

”When the convoy left the airport, armed gunmen shot at the motorcade, which led to the death of the policeman.”

An eyewitness who identified himself as John said that apart from the policeman, others were also injured in the attack.

He said, “The incident occurred just after 2pm when Okpebholo and several others, including Philip Shaibu, arrived aboard a chartered private jet.

“Unknown, suspected gunmen in Sienna vehicle at the exit gate opened fire at the convoy Okpebholo and Shaibu, which led to a reprisal gunshot by armed security details attached to the APC candidate and Philip Shaibu.

”The intervention of the Mobile Squad of the Nigeria Police brought the situation under control. Meanwhile, several officers continued shooting to disperse the said attackers as they fled in a Toyota Sienna bus”, the Punch Newspaper report ends in quote.

Earlier we reported that numbers of persons including a mobile police officer attached to the All Progressives Congress, APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebolo were killed in Benin city on Thursday  when gunmen suspected to be political thugs exchanged fire with security operatives at the Benin Airport.

The crisis has led to accusing fingers among political parties in the state and government functionaries, with the Edo State Government blaming and accusing the impeached Deputy Governor of the State, Philip Shaibu who arrived the state on Thursday after Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ruled and declared his impeachment from office as illegal and politically motivated; hence, ordered the Inspector General of Police to provide him security to take back his office.

Chief Francis Inegbeniki in a video recording, said his accusation over the crisis in Benin City is a plot to tarnish his image as he is not even in Benin, and in the video, he showed his current location at Opoji in Edo central senatorial area of the state.

The chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Edo Central Senatorial District, Chief Francis Inegbeniki refuted the allegation that he sponsored thugs who allegedly attacked the motorcade of Senator Monday Okpebholo, the APC governorship candidate on Thursday in Benin City.

Inegbeniki said his attention was drawn to the accusation he described as false and misleading allegations against him being circulated on social media.

“It is not true that I led or sponsored thugs who attack the convoy of Senator Monday Okpebholo, the APC governorship candidate in Benin City. As I speak, I am in my village, I was never on Airport road when or as at the time the said incident took place”.

Adding; “It is very wrong for anyone or for any reason to accuse me of leading thugs on that attack. I urge the government, security agencies and the general public to disregard the falsehood”

The politician said he is a peaceful and law abiding Nigerian and at his age being an elder statesman will never commit such act

“The election is around the corner, and I quite understand that my enemies would do anything desperately to blackmail me or tarnish my reputation.

“The statement issued by media aide to Senator Monday Okpebolo, linking me to the incident is an attempt to malign my integrity and also mislead the general public”, the PDP Chieftain said.

We have earlier reported that the Edo State Government has said it will take actionable measures against the impeached Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu who was on Wednesday reinstated back to office by Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, after the court ruled and declared his impeachment by the State House of Assembly as illegal and politically motivated.

There was crisis in Benin city on Thursday after Philip Shaibu arrived the city from Abuja.

Videos posted online showed Philip Shaibu was received at the Benin Airport with crowd of supporters and sympathizers from other political parties.

Philip Shaibu in one of the videos and photographs was seen standing outside a vehicle with the front of the vehicle having Deputy Governor symbol of authority which also stand as vehicle plate number of the person occupying the office of the State Deputy Governor.

Edo state government under the leadership of Godwin Obaseki in a statement signed and made available by the state Commissioner of Information, Chris Osa Nehikhare, said Philip Shaibu is known for violence and blamed the wanton destruction of lives and properties in Benin City on Thursday on the politician.

The statement reads in quote thus: “the Edo State Government has observed the level of wanton destruction perpetrated by thugs and elements working in connivance with former Deputy Governor of the State, Philip Shaibu in the guise of purportedly enforcing a judgement reinstating him in office.

Shaibu led thugs through Airport Road axis of Benin City, attacking innocent citizens and unleashing mayhem on private citizens who are going about their lawful businesses.

The State Government through this statement is warning Shaibu to desist from this turn to violence in the pretense that he is enforcing a judgement.

He is reminded that he is not above the law and is liable for the wanton destruction perpetrated by him and his co-travellers.

Shaibu’s violent tendencies is well document and he has been warned at different times by respected figures of society, including the revered Benin Monarch to shun violence.

We want to reiterate that Shaibu will face the consequences of violence that he has resorted to in pursuit of his aim to return to the Edo State Government House even when he is aware that a stay of execution of the judgement has been filed.

We enjoin the general public to be calm and go about their lawful businesses as government will continue to deploy the instrumentality of the state to restore and maintain law and order in the State in the face of undue provocation”.