Several individuals, including a pregnant woman and a seven-month-old baby, sustained various injuries after young men, believed to be supporters of the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), allegedly attacked members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ward II, Uhunmora, Owan West local government area.
The attackers were reportedly backed by security personnel allegedly from Agbebaku’s residence. The incident occurred on Saturday.
Ogunlowo Collins, the chairman of APC in the ward, narrated the events on Monday.
Collins, an amputee, explained that the shop of David Iruedo, the ward Secretary of the party, was attacked and destroyed. Iruedo and others were injured after he refused to defect from the APC following an earlier unprovoked attack when one Odion Kelvin removed and set ablaze the cap of an APC woman.
Collins further recounted, “Later in the evening, they came to David Iruedo’s shop with over 40 boys, backed by security men from the Speaker’s house. They were shouting that they had been instructed to kill all APC members in Ward II.
Armed with machetes and clubs with nails, they broke into the store, beat Iruedo to a pulp, and left him for dead. They continued to terrorize the area, moving from house to house and shooting guns.”
He added that several other APC members were also assaulted, including one who was pierced in the head with a nail-laden plank. Another individual was hit in the head and collapsed, requiring emergency medical attention.
The APC has demanded the arrest and prosecution of Agbebaku for electoral violence.
In a statement by the Acting State Chairman of the party, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, the party criticized security agencies for failing to act on warnings about plans to disrupt the election.
Witnesses identified some of the attackers as Lucky Omon, Kelvin Ojo Omon, Lucy Unuigbe, and Hon. Tunde Akele. These individuals, along with Imoudu Unuigbe, were also allegedly involved in a July shooting in Benin City that resulted in the death of a policeman, Akor Onu.
The APC emphasized its commitment to a peaceful electoral process but warned that it would not hesitate to defend itself if security agencies fail to control Agbebaku and his supporters.
In response, Agbebaku denied the allegations, dismissing the incident as a “beer parlour brawl” between individuals with personal issues. He claimed that the APC, feeling threatened by his success in the Owan Nation, concocted the story to tarnish his reputation.
Agbebaku also accused the APC of plotting to arrest him ahead of the September 21 governorship election, which he claimed the APC sees as unwinnable. Despite these challenges, he called on all Owan indigenes to join him in peaceful campaigns for the development of the Owan Nation.
