Edo gun attacks on Peter Obi, Oyegun: No police arrests four days after

Obi

WHAT could have triggered last Tuesday’s attack on the Edo State secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) shortly after the party received the 2024 Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the state, Mr Olumide Akpata, and then the residence of the National Leader of the ADC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, while he was hosting Akpata and others, including the 2023 presidential candidate of the LP, Mr Peter Obi, remains a mystery. Barely 24 hours before the incident, a fight was reportedly averted at the residence of Odigie-Oyegun when some members of the ADC claimed they were shut out of a meeting of leaders of the party on the orders of Odigie-Oyegun. Those allegedly shut out included former Chief Whip of the Senate, Sir Rowland Owie, a major financier of the ADC in the state, Sunny Aguebor, a leader of the party, and Douglas Iyike.

There was tension in the area such that the state Commissioner of Police had to send a squad to avert breakdown of law and order and then talked to the protesting party leaders and their followers to vacate the place.

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Meanwhile, four days after the incident, the police said yesterday that no arrests had been made in connection with the attacks.

While some analysts are alleging that the attacks may have been orchestrated by the aggrieved members who, including Owie, have vehemently denied, others believed that the attacks may have come from the government in power.

Those who claimed government may have orchestrated it alleged that Governor Monday Okebholo last year did say that Obi must take permission from the state government before he visits if his safety would be guaranteed.

But last Tuesday, Obi had visited a nursing school run by the Catholic Church in the state capital where he made a financial donation to the school and from there headed to the secretariat of the ADC where he, among others, received Akpata into the party.

Suspected thugs attacked the ADC secretariat a few minutes after the rally, destroying several items.From there they moved to the residence of Odigie-Oyegun who was attending to his guests inside his compound including Obi and Akpata.