The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo has accused the state police command of complicity in the attack on its governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and the reinstated deputy governor, Philip Shaibu.
Gunmen attacked the two on Thursday while they were leaving Benin Airport shortly after arriving from Abuja on a chartered flight.
During a press conference on Friday in Benin, the party called for the removal of Commissioner of Police, Funso Adegboye.
Kassim Afegbua, director of media for the APC campaign council for the upcoming September 21 election, stated that the police chief witnessed the ruthless shooting and killing of a policeman.
Afegbua said the party had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the incident and examine how the police commissioner undermined the role of the police.
He added that some party members who saw the commissioner at the airport shared intelligence about the impending attack, but their warnings were allegedly ignored.
“It is disheartening to observe that while the ruthless shootings were going on, Adeboye was on ground at the Benin Airport and he did nothing to repel the vicious attack which led to the death of one of his officers.
“As fate would have it, it was our candidate’s police attache that was killed, while our candidate and the deputy governor missed death by the whiskers.
“From witness account, it is very clear that some of these hoodlums are members of the Edo Vigilante Network and are fully knitted in their uniforms.
“The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, has willfully undermined the responsibility placed on him by law, that is, protection of lives and property within his jurisdiction.
“As at today, Edo State is in a state of lawlessness occasioned by the non-control of the source of weapons being paraded by members of Edo State Vigilante Network who are recruited without any formal training,” Mr Afegbua said.
The director of media described the attack on the candidate as an assassination attempt as well as a disdain for peace that the state and its people were known for.
Reacting, Mr Adegboye exonerated himself of any wrongdoing during the mayhem.
He refuted a claim that intelligence was shared with him ahead of the attack, saying there was no crisis throughout his stay at the airport.
“I had information that some people gathered at the airport, supporters and I went in there because our goal is to maintain law and order. Where we discover we have a crowd, we will go there.
“So we were there, myself and my men and it was after these people left the airport that we learnt about the shooting which led to the death of the inspector.
“Nobody gave me any intelligence of what was about to happen. There was no single incidence at the premises of the airport,” he said
The commissioner noted, however, that investigation was ongoing and those whose names had been mentioned in the incident would be arrested soon.
