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Gunmen have reportedly attacked the convoy of the All Progressives Congress candidate for the September 21 Edo governorship election, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, leaving a police officer attached to him identified as Okon dead.
The attack was launched on the convoy, which included the reinstated Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, on Thursday as it was leaving Benin Airport.
Shaibu, who was impeached by the State House of Assembly on April 8, was reinstated on Wednesday after Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Abuja High Court ruled that he was unjustly impeached, but the Assembly had appealed the judgment.
Shaibu and Okpebholo had arrived at Benin Airport around 2 p.m. to the rousing welcome of supporters.
A witness said: “The incident occurred just after 2 p.m. when Okpebholo and several others, including the Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, arrived aboard a chartered private jet.
“Unknown, suspected gunmen in a Sienna vehicle at the exit gate opened fire at the convoy of leading Okpebholo and Shaibu, which led to a reprisal gunshot by armed security details attached to the APC candidate and deputy governor Phillip Shaibu.
“The Nigeria Police Mobile Squad’s intervention brought the situation under control.”
Meanwhile, several officers continued shooting to disperse the attackers as they escaped in the Toyota Sienna bus.
However, Chris Nehikhare, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, blamed Shaibu for the incident in a statement.
The statement reads: “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 judgment reinstating him in office.
“Shaibu led thugs through the 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 on the pretence that he is enforcing a judgment. 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 are well documented, 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 the 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 judgment has been filed.
“We enjoin the general public to be calm and go about their lawful businesses as the 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.”
However, Okpebholo’s aide, Godswill Inegbe, said that a prominent former member of the APC, who recently resigned from the party, led the attack against his principal and Shaibu.
He said, “This Thursday afternoon, the motorcade of Senator Monday Okpebholo, the APC governorship candidate, was brutally attacked by members of the Edo State Security Network and Edo State government-sponsored thugs allegedly led by a former prominent member of the APC.
“During the unprovoked brutal attack, three mobile policemen attached to the security detail of Senator Okpebholo were injured with bullet wounds, while one of the policemen has been declared dead!
“Senator Monday Okpebholo is at this moment admitted to an undisclosed hospital in Benin, receiving medical attention, and other members of his entourage who were victims of the brutal attack are in various hospitals in Benin City.”
When asked for comments, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, the spokesman for the Edo State Police Command, said the police were investigating the matter.
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