The Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, has said that Edo people should not be blamed if they resort to self-defence against acts of violence against perceived opponents being perpetrated by thugs allegedly working for some top guns in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The governor said this after inspecting the residence of the Commissioner for Youth, Damian Lawani, in Udaba Ekphei Community, Etsako Central Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, that was attacked by political thugs.
The attack took place after the Edo State government on Monday, July 20, through publications in national newspapers alleged that Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of APC, and Captain Hosa Okunbo, on the prompting of Ize-Iyamu, had engaged thugs at a meeting held at Aiguobasimwin in GRA, Benin City, and paid them in advance to cause mayhem in the state. The attack is suspected to be part of the execution of the tasks handed to the thugs.
Obaseki said that the attack on Lawani’s residence was an attempt on his life.
“We will continue to pursue peace; we will continue to try and use the apparatus of state to protect our people and I hope that those involved, those who have the responsibility to provide security understand the danger they are putting the state and country into.
“If they continue to turn a blind eye to the violence being perpetrated by Adams Oshiomhole in this state, nobody should blame the people of the state if they have to resort to self-defence,” Obaseki said.
The governor said what happened at Lawani’s residence is quite disturbing.
“We got the reports a couple of weeks ago and the matter was reported to the police in the state. It is quite disturbing. This is a clear evidence of an attempt on the life of my Commissioner for Youth. This matter has been reported and I understand that investigations are going on,” Obaseki said.
“Recall the alarm raised by my deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, over the weekend that some persons who were identified as assassins had been brought into Benin City by Adams Oshiomhole. It is suspected that some boys involved in this incident are currently harboured in Oshiomhole’s house in Iyamho. We are concerned the investigations are taking unnecessarily long,” he said.
