Edo State Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, has appealed to the warring sides in the crisis presently rocking the state aftermath of the court judgment restoring Comrade Philip Shaibu as the deputy governor of the state, to save their breath and keep the peace.
According to him, “the issue of court judgment, counter judgment we should not be dragged into this. The temple of justice, the courts, are there. And like I said it is not for the police to go and execute except we have been so directed. Our own is to ensure the safety of the court bailiffs who are specifically in charge of enforcing of court judgment. We’re still expecting directives from the appropriate quarters.”
The Police boss was reacting to the statement of the state Commissioner of Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare as it relates to the chaos that was caused by the return of Comrade Shaibu to the state on Thursday after the Federal High Court, Abuja pronouncement a day earlier on the issue of his impeachment by the state House of Assembly.
Nehikhare accused Shaibu of blatant disregard for the stay of execution as well as law and order, which the state government had applied for via a notice of appeal which it filed on the execution of judgment as it’s its right.
According to Nehikhare, “this we have since communicated to the relevant authorities, including the Police, in accordance with the law. The filing of a stay of execution in response to a court order or judgement means that the status quo is maintained by all parties.
“Therefore, Philip Shaibu remains impeached as the deputy Governor of Edo State until the Appeal Court decides otherwise. More so, the enforcement of a court judgment is neither carried out by the parties involved nor their hirelings, but by law enforcement agents.”
Nehikhare stressed: “Philip Shaibu mobilized thugs armed with sophisticated weapons within and outside the Airport compound in a bid to make a show of his return to Benin following the court judgement, unleashing mayhem on the people and stirring crisis in the State in the guise of executing the Federal High Court judgement.
“The State Commissioner of Police, with the intelligence available to him, rushed to the Airport, approached Shaibu, and informed him of the filed stay of execution which he had in his possession, warning the former deputy governor against marching to the Edo State Government House, which was Shaibu’s original plan.
“With the disappointment by this development, Shaibu disregarded the advice and warnings from the Commissioner of Police and exited the airport precincts into the waiting crowd of thugs who then moved with him into the City, shooting sporadically and unleashing mayhem on innocent citizens, who were minding their lawful businesses.”
The Edo State Government called “on the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police to immediately begin investigations to unravel the root cause of this breach of law and order in the State as well as the death of the gallant police officer whose duty it was to protect the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo, and ensure that the culprits are prosecuted.”
On allegations by the All Progressives Congress(APC) that he refused to act on intelligence report that he was given about the plans to attack the party’s supporters, chieftains and restored Comrade Philip Shaibu.
Adegboye said: “Nobody gave me any intelligence about any incident. I was at the airport to see things myself with my men and to ensure that there was no break down of law and order. And there was no single incident at the airport. I repeat no single incident within the premises of the airport. People were jubilating, singing, dancing until after the airport premises.”
