Gun attack by political thugs and hirelings have left one Inspector Akor Onu, a security operative attached to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State for the September 21 election, Senator Monday Okpebholo, dead in Benin City.
The attack took place during the victorious homecoming of the reinstated Edo Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.
Others injured with the standard bearer of APC in Edo are on admission in an undisclosed hospital in Benin.
Shaibu and Okpebholo, who flew in the same aircraft from Abuja arrived Benin Airport around 1:18 p.m to rousing welcome by their teeming supporters.
They sang victory songs amid drumming and dancing to celebrate Wednesday’s judgement of the Federal High Court Abuja, which reinstated Edo Deputy Governor.
As their convoy left the airport and linked the dualised Airport Road, thugs in a Toyota Sienna vehicle in front of the Miracle Centre of the.Church of God Mission, started shooting sporadically at the vehicles of Shaibu, Okpebholo and others.
The shooting led to the death of the police inspector with many motorists, pedestrians and residents scampering to safety, causing confusion in the densely-populated neighbourhood.
The reinstated Deputy Governor drove off speedily and headed for his nearby residence in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) Benin and quickly moved to the various hospitals to empathise with the injured.
The shooting led to many injuries with many rushed to hospitals in Benin and environs for treatment.
The attack took place despite the presence at Benin airport of Edo Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, whose officers and men displayed bravery but the thugs laid ambush for the convoy.
Okpebholo’s legislative aide in charge of media and communication, Godswill Inegbe, alleged the thugs were led by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in Edo (name withheld).
He lamented three riot policemen were shot with one dead.
Inegbe stated that Okpebholo had been admitted to an undisclosed hospital in Benin, where he was receiving medical attention with other members of his entourage.
Members of Edo APC called for arrest and prosecution of the thugs and their sponsors.
Military personnel and other security operatives were quickly deployed in the area to prevent reprisal.
Edo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chidi Nwabuzor, a Superintendent of Police (SP), didn’t pick calls or respond to text messages.
Credit: The Nation.
