Tony Osauzo, Benin
One of the Edo State House of Assembly lawmakers, Crossby Eribo, has been hospitalised in an undisclosed hospital in Benin, following attack by suspected thugs.
Eribo, a re-elected lawmaker to represent Egor Constituency, reportedly suffered fractured bones during the attack in which some of the lawmkers, including the former speaker, Victor Edoror and younger brother of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Seidu Oshiomhole, were said to have been beaten to coma.
The younger Oshiomhole was said to have been stripped naked, and his phones, laptop and other personal effects seized.
Trouble reportedly started shortly after the camp of the 16 lawmakers, who were not inaugurated last Monday addressed journalists at a hotel in Benin City.
They were said to have left the venue of the press conference for the former speaker’s room when, suddenly, the suspected thugs numbering over 200 descended on the hotel in search of the lawmakers and vandalised the hotel.
The intervention of the police reportedly brought the situation under control.
Spokesman for the embattled lawmakers, Washington Osifo, said since the issue of the governor not sending proclamation to the clerk started, Edoror had been staying in the hotel, necessitating the group of 16 members meeting there to review the situation.
Edo State Police Command spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwanbuzor, who confirmed the thugs’ attack, however, denied knowledge of brutal assault on the embattled legislators.
“The police received a report of some attacks at that hotel like you just said, following the inauguration of the seventh Assembly and the police moved in there because our constitution says that police should protect lives and property of the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state government has warned individuals and groups with intent to disrupt peace through thuggery and civil disturbances to desist from such actions.
It said the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration will not tolerate any form of violence in the state.
In a statement, Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Paul Ohonbamu, said the government will deploy all apparatus of state to ensure peace is maintained and that well-meaning and law-abiding citizens are assured a free space to go about their businesses without any hinderance.
He said the warning is coming in the wake of the emergence of a new leadership of the Seventh Assembly, and to ensure unscrupulous elements do not take matters into their hands to ferment trouble in the state.