Posted by By Osaro Okhomina & Simon Ebegbulem on
BENIN CITY - FEW days after the plot to assasinate the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly was uncovered by men of the State Security Service(SSS), some unknown gunmen numbering Six last Friday shot dead the State Assistant Director of the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC),Mr A.A.Igbadumhe.
BENIN CITY - FEW days after the plot to assasinate the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly was uncovered by men of the State Security Service(SSS), some unknown gunmen numbering Six last Friday shot dead the State Assistant Director of the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC),Mr A.A.Igbadumhe.
He was shot in the head after few enquiry about his identity around 8am on Friday at his residence in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) while on his way out to his office in the company of his driver and two children.
The killing of the NYSC boss came just as the men of the Joint Military/Police Security Task Force code named ‘Operation MESA' ordered last December by President Olusegun Obasanjo at the height of armed bandits attack on Policemen and the residents of the Edo State capital, weekend, suspended the operation and withdrew their men from strategic points in protest over alleged non-payment of allowances and the intervention of some senior government officials in the investigation, arrest and operations of the task force.
Vanguard gathered at the weekend that the unknown gunmen invaded the Ugbor area residence of the Assistant Director of the NYSC on two motorbikes and accosted him as he was about driving out of his house in company of his children.It was gathered that the armed men inquired from the driver of the vehicle his residence and the Assistant Director,unaware of their intention, answered that he was the one and that he was on his way out.
It was gathered that the two gunmen that were making the inquiry answered that they were there with a message
Vanguard's visit to his residence yesterday showed a quite residence with no one to attend to our correspondent.
Some residents that spoke with Vanguard on condition of anonymity said they were shocked at the killing but said the body of the deceased have been deporsited at the morgue of one of the private hospitals in Benin City.An attempt to speak with the management of the state NYSC on the incident also failed as they were not receptive to the inquiry of our correspondent and the State Director of the NYSC was reportedly not on seat when Vanguard called.
Contacted on the incident,the State Police Command Public Relations Officer,Mr Peter Ogboi yesterday confirmed the incident but said the command is investigating the incident with a view of bringing those involve to book.
Meanwhile the Joint Military/Police Security Task Force ‘Operation MESA' at the weekend suspended their operation and withdrew their men from check points in the state in alleged protest against the reported non-payment of allowances and the interferance of some top officials of the state government in the arrest of some suspects and operations in the state.
In a show of their seriousness,the task force,Vanguard gathered had last weekend returned to the care of the state government the Eleven Vehicles handed them as part of the state government assistance to the success of the security operations.
Contacted on telephone yesterday on the development,the State Commissioner of Information,Mr Kingsley Osadolor said the matter has not been officially made known to the state government but assured that the state government is committed to the observance of the rule of law,"we are committed to proper security of lives and property of our citizenry and we can not be an accessory to the protection of criminals.We have done everything by providing the logistics needed by the men.We have gone extra mile for the adequate patrol of the state.We would not relent in this effort even though it is an extra expenditure on the state.The state government is committed to the observance of the rule of law.Any allegation that they protect suspects is not true.The state is ready to expose anybody involved in such act"
Osaro Okhomina&Simon Ebegbulem