War in Edo state as Armed thugs invade lawmakers quarters, destroy cars
The crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly got worse on Saturday as armed men invaded the legislators’ quarters and destroyed 36 cars belonging to members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The thugs further shot at doors and windows of seven chalets inhabited by APC lawmakers, leaving property worth several millions of naira destroyed in their wake.
Eyewitnesses said the invaders started converging on the George Idah Primary School as early as 6:30 am from where they launched the attack.
According to reports, the thugs tied up the security man at the gate before gaining entry as the policemen attached to the lawmakers were said to have been withdrawn earlier in the week on orders from above.
Following the attack, some of the APC lawmakers were said to have sustained injuries as they fled the rampaging attackers.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole who was conducted round the legislators’ quarters yesterday by the Speaker,
Rt. Hon Uyi Igbe, expressed shock at the level of destruction in the quarters.
Addressing journalists after the inspection, Governor Oshiomhole said, “PDP leaders had a meeting where it was decided that thugs should be recruited using one Idehen to perpetrate this attack.
“It is very clear that the police granted permission for this attack. The Commissioner of Police was informed about 10:00 pm last night of the plan of the PDP to attack the legislative quarters and the APC office.
“We made this intelligence available to the Commissioner of Police and you can see that even the minimal police presence here was evacuated so that these thugs can come and have a free reign of terror. This morning, when they assembled at a point they were meant to assemble, the fact was conveyed to the Commissioner of Police.
“They actually assembled at George Idah Primary School this morning before they proceeded and the Police provided supervision for this very serious criminal act. It is very clear that the police command granted permission to PDP to carry out this heinous crime,” the Governor alleged. He said at a time when the country is confronted with insurgency and other forms of violent crimes, he expected that any functionary of the other party will share the concern of the President on peace and security, adding “you can see some of the PDP leaders in Edo State having lost out and rejected by the people believe that they can create a situation that will make Edo State ungovernable and create complete distraction in their futile calculation that they can remove themselves from power.
“This is a very dangerous thing. I am not so much worried about the violent character of the PDP, I am more worried by what seems to be the police readiness to provide them with cover,” he said.
