…chides politicians blackmailing police for carrying out their duty
Ahead of the next month’s governorship election, spokesperson of the Edo All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign, Prince Kassim Afegbua, on Wednesday, urged the police authorities to immediately disband the state’s security outfit, Edo Security Network.
Afegbua also knocked politicians in the state allegedly blackmailing the police in the state for doing their constitutional duty of maintaining law and order.
The Edo APC campaign spokesman stated this in a statement he issued on Wednesday.
The full text of the statement reads as follows:
PRESS RELEASE.
STOP BLACKMAILING EDO POLICE FOR DOING THEIR JOB
After the gruesome murder of Inspector Onu Akor, the security aide attached to Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Edo state Governor Godwin Obaseki had threatened that Nigeria would burn if anybody dared to arrest his “boys”. It is also to be noted that the masterminds of the dastardly attack have been parading themselves about town in company of the convoy of the state Governor. Some of them have relocated to the Government House for fear of arrest. It should therefore be noted that those who have nothing to hide have no business expressing fear about the members of the IRT of the Nigeria Police. Those attempting to blackmail the Nigeria Police for carrying out its statutory responsibility had better retrace their steps and instead, submit themselves to the Nigeria Police for interrogation. Only yesterday, another set of Governor obASUEki thugs disrupted and attacked our followers after a successful campaign in Ewohinmi, destroyed campaign materials and threatened to kill our supporters. This is their peculiar style of trying to intimidate our supporters but as law abiding party coasting home to victory, we will not allow this type of harassment to distract us.
The Nigeria Police has a responsibility to ensure the right and secured environment exists for a peaceful conduct of the September 21st election. What the Nigeria Police is doing is to create the enabling and peaceful environment for a hitch-free conduct of the election without let or hindrance.
We find it curious therefore that whilst the PDP and the Governor are busy threatening the peace and tranquility of the state through the dubious activities of the Edo Security Network, they are complaining of the activities of the Nigeria Police that is vested with the statutory responsibility of ensuring proper atmosphere for elections to take place. We find the blackmail motive very laughable and ridiculous. But we are familiar with PDP’s modus operandi when it comes to matters such as the one under reference. Each time they hatch a plan, they will first of all shout about it, before executing it to divert attention from their nefarious activities.
Anybody who has a case to answer and has a clear conscience, should report to the Police station and answer to queries we had raised concerning the murder of Inspector Onu Akor. Running from pillar to post will not in any way dissuade the Nigeria Police from carrying out its investigation to seek justice for the slain cops.
We are also using this opportunity to alert the police of the dubious activities of the Edo Security Network which the Governor has armed to foment trouble during the election. They must be disbanded to create a level playing field for all contestants, irrespective of status or creed. While we recognise the Nigeria Police, Civil Defence Corps and DSS as legitimate security bodies involved in the election, we are yet to reconcile what role the Edo Security Network is assigning to itself in the entire exercise.
The Nigeria Police must therefore draw stamina from its constitutionality to disband the amorphous body until after the election.
Signed….
PRINCE KASSIM AFEGBUA.
SPOKESMAN, EDO APC CAMPAIGN.
