BENIN CITY — THE ANPP in Edo State, yesterday, commended the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Ochonu for having the courage to declare that powerful politicians in the ruling PDP in the state were the backers of daredevil robbers and cultists in the state but the government dismissed the ANPP’s remarks, saying that the police never mentioned PDP leaders as being the sponsors.
Mr. Okharedia Ihimekpen, the Special Assistant (Media Relations) to Governor Lucky Igbinedion told Vanguard that the Police Commissioner did not say that PDP politicians were behind armed robbers and cultists in the state, pointing out that “what I heard he said was that some top government functionaries were the backbone of cultists. The Igbinedion government has made it clear long ago that it will not condone evil men in government and that anyone discovered will be shown the way out.”
The Edo State police spokesman, Mr. Fatai Kinyomi also corroborated Ihimekpen’s position, saying that the Commissioner did not say PDP politicians but that some government functionaries, whose names he withheld were the backbone of cultists, not armed robbers. He added that some of these government officials were cultists themselves.
But the ANPP spokesman, Mr. Godwin Erhahon who signed his party’s press statement, said “this official complaint by the man who should know best why criminals have virtually taken over Edo State has vindicated earlier charge by the ANPP that the criminals terrorizing Edo State are members of the underworld wing of the ruling party.
"Truly, even the blind and deaf can testify that the reigning cabal of sadist capitalists in Edo State has lavishly favoured criminals and heartlessly antagonized the law-abiding citizens. Eyewitness accounts have equally confirmed that the operational styles of present-day robbers and cultists in Edo State resembles how PDP thugs snatched ballot boxes and other election materials during the last elections.
“ANPP submits that the biblical aphorism that ‘the wicked proudly takes over the street when what is evil is honoured among men’ is what is now manifesting in Edo State.”
The opposition party alleged that the hoodlums were members of the Neighbourhood Watch, a vigilance service set up by the state government and challenged the state government to provide gainful employment for the wild youths as well as retrieve the guns distributed to them for use against popular opposition and voters during the last elections.
“We urge the Federal Government to help the Edo State Police Command to monitor and control the activities of thugs whom the ruling government in the state promoted above the law in the state”, it added.
Ihimekpen, however, said that “the ANPP which lost to the PDP in all the elections so far in the state is only looking for every available straw to paint the PDP black. I advise the ANPP to work hard for the next election but unfortunately, the PDP is on ground in all parts of the state and there is nothing they can do about it.”
