Edo crisis: Police to arraign 12 suspects next week

Following the attack by armed thugs at the legislators’ quarters of the Edo State House of Assembly last Saturday, the police in Edo on Sunday cordoned off the premises of the quarters to forestall further mayhem in the area.

The state Commissioner of Police, Foluso Adebanjo, told our correspondent on the telephone on Sunday that 12 persons had been apprehended and would be charged to court “next week.”

During the attack, over 36 vehicles and other property worth millions of naira were vandalized.

It will be recalled that the armed thugs had forced their way into the quarters after overpowering the security guards.



The attack came three days after one of the lawmakers, Abdulrazak Momoh, was reportedly beaten by suspected thugs at the quarters, after he allegedly attempted to scale the perimetre fence.

When our correspondent visited the area on Sunday, some armed policemen were seen in front of the legislative quarters. They prevented journalists and visitors from entering the quarters.

He added that the vehicle allegedly used by the thugs and an unspecified amount of ammunition had been recovered.

Adebanjo also disclosed that policemen were on the trail of the leader of the thugs who invaded the lawmakers’ quarters.

“They are definitely going to be arraigned. They will be arraigned next week. We recovered some ammunition and we are also looking for the main person that led that team,” he said.

Adebanjo, however, warned politicians to stop sponsoring violence in the state.

The police commissioner in a statement on Sunday said that the command had observed, “with concern,” an increase in politically-motivated violence in the state.

This, he said, was unacceptable, adding that the police would deal with anybody that wanted to foist violence on the state.

Adebanjo, who advised aggrieved politicians to seek redress through the legal system, added that the persons caught masterminding violence in the state would be “dealt with decisively” in accordance with the law of the land.

He also urged members of the public go about their lawful activities without fear of molestation.

“The State Police Command is hereby making it categorically clear that the activities of hoodlums and miscreants geared towards disturbing the peace of the state will not be tolerated.

“Political gladiators are warned to stop sponsoring/masterminding acts of thuggery in the state. The police will not fold its arms and allow a breakdown of law and order,” the CP said.

Source Punch