Arising from the July 17 2024 shooting at the Benin airport, which led to the killing of a police inspector, Okon attached to then senator representing Edo Central Senatorial district in the state and now Executive Governor, Sen Monday Okpebholo, family of one Eghosa Johnson, a member of a local security outfit, the Edo State Security Network, has lamented what is described as continuous harassment to them drawing from a threat to their son’s life by the political thugs of the All Progressives Congress, APC, even after he had allegedly escaped to avoid being killed.
The political issue which ensued between the two rival political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC, as to which of the party takes over governance in the state in the just concluded September 21st governorship election.
Speaking with Journalists at their residence in Benin City, the head of the family identified as Victor Johnson, said that the airport Shooting was regrettable, saying his family members have been living in palpable fear of attack by the APC thugs, who are head bent on intimidating the opposition party, PDP, members that would work against their victory in that election.
He further said that their son,Eghosa Johnson, who was a member of the Edo State Security Vigilante Network, a state owned local vigilante set up by immediate past Governor Godwin Obaseki in the wake of insecurity which ravaged the country, aimed at complementing the efforts of the conventional security agents like the police and the army to combat crime and criminal activities.
Victor, maintained that Eghosa, was at Obazagbon community in Iyekeogba axis Benin City, when he and other personnel were detailed to Benin Airport for a special duty to provide adequate security measures amid maintaining peace and order, especially when it was viewed that the sacked deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, was on his way to Benin airport from Abuja, to effect his reinstatement as the deputy governor in line with execution of the Federal High Court judgement which declared his alleged impeachment illegal.
Recall that the supporters and thugs of Shaibu in their thousands, had mobilised to the airport to welcome him and others, back to Benin amid jubilation and no sooner the first set of vehicles in his (shaibu) convoy had barely crossed the exit gate at the airport, than there were sporadic gunshots at the opposite lane by the APC thugs.
The shooting led by a relative of one of the APC youths leaders led to the killing of a police inspector Okon.
The family source continued that accusations and counter accusations greeted the abruptly killing of the police inspector; as the then Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki vividly declared that it was Philip Shaibu that caused the mayhem at airport, while calling on the police to arrest and prosecute him.
He explained further that since their son and his colleagues were deployed at the airport, the APC members, because it was a party controlling the country from the federal level under the leadership of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, influenced the arrest and arraignment in court, of some persons alleged to have been involved in the shooting at the airport.
Those arraigned and later granted bail in court according to Victor Johnson, included all the personnel of the Edo State Security Vigilante Network framed up in the case and their son, Eghosa Johnson was also included.
They were Egbede Friday, Monday Omokpolo, Bello Isah, Isaiah Ajibade, Onoriode Marcus Olu, Eghosa Johnson, Oluwafe Celestine and Collins Umoro.
Victor explained that immediately after their son’s release, some unknown persons suspected to be APC’s thugs, started to be sending series of threats messages, insisting their party is controlling the federal government and that if they actualise their criminal intents, they won’t be arrested or prosecuted and it was on that premise, Eghosa Johnson had to escape because some of the assailants, alleged that he was the person that said he recognised the APC youths leader’s brother, that influenced the sporadic shooting with a pump action rifle.
He averred that their son’s escape, did not go down well with them as different faceless persons, were always seen around their residence, possibly to carry out their dastardly minded act on them for not producing their son to kill or imprisoned.
He, however, appealed to the relevant government authorities including the security agents to come to their rescue, especially their son, Eghosa Johnson, whom they had marked as their main target, to avoid being killed or unjustly imprisoned without recourse to his civil roles toward making the city free from crime and criminal activities, just because of political reasons.
He insisted that as at press time, his whereabout remains unknown.
