The crisis withing the Edo state house of assembly took a further dive on Saturday, October 11, 2014 when armed thugs invaded legislative quarters of the state house of assembly, destroying property worth millions of naira, according to a report by Punch
It was gathered that the hoodlums gained access to the premises around 6:30 am after overpowering guards stationed at the quarters along Iyama road before shooting sporadically, which was evident by the bullet holes seen on the vehicles and doors in the premises, as long the windows, which were shattered by bullets.
![The Edo State House of Assembly quarters and the vandalised cars after the attack [Photo Credit: Edo State government house]](https://www.thetrentonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Armed-thugs-invade-Edo-lawmakers-quarters-the-trent.jpg)
Addressing newsmen after the inspection, Oshiomhole said, “The PDP leaders had a meeting where it was decided that thugs should be recruited to come and perpetrate this attack. “It is very clear that the police granted permission for this attack because the Commissioner of Police was informed at about 10:00pm last night of the plan of the PDP to attack the legislative quarters and the APC office.
“We made this intelligence available to the commissioner of police and what we then saw was that even the minimal police presence here was vacated so that these thugs could come and have a free reign of terror. It was conveyed to the CP last night that they were going to assemble at George Idah Primary School. They actually assembled at George Idah Primary School this morning before they proceeded and the police provided supervision for this very serious criminal act. It is very clear that the police command leadership granted permission to the PDP to carry out this heinous crime.”
Governor Oshiomole said instead of the PDP members of the state who have “lost out and were ejected by the people” to share the concern of President Goodluck Jonathan (who is a member of the PDP) as regards the threat of insurgency and insecurity, they have decided to make Edo state ungovernable .
He said he was not in any way surprised about the violent conduct orchestrated by the PDP, but expressed worry as to the complicity of police in aiding the perpetrators of the attack.
He said the idea of politics should not be primitive, reminding all that the President was in Edo state for a political rally two weeks ago and he (Oshiomole) went to the airport to receive him as he was the President of the country and not in the capacity of him being a member of any political party.
Governor Oshiomole stated further: “Yesterday (Friday, October 10, 2014) again, I went to the airport to receive the President for the ground breaking ceremony of a private sector investment which we jointly midwifed with over $800 million. This same Pastor Ize-Iyamu organised rascals and they were abusing themselves.”
In their defence the leadership of the PDP denied knowledge of the attack. chairman of the PDP in Edo state said the only activity conducted by the party on Friday, October 10, 2014 was welcoming President Jonathan to the state
Orbih said, “There is no truth whatsoever in the governor’s allegations. After welcoming Mr. President to Edo State on Friday, many of us went to our houses, had a light dinner and went to bed.
“It is common knowledge that what happened might have been born out of the attack on Rasaq Momoh and the fact that those accused are now free today. What happened this morning was not the work of our party. We believe in the law enforcement agencies to deal with the situation.”
On his part the commissioner of police in Edo state, Foluso Adebanjo who spoke to Punch via a telephone interview said the police would not “join issues with anybody,” as the police had arrested twelve people in connection with the attack, claiming that the vehicle used by the attackers has also been recovered.
“We are in a meeting now and we are going to get more and more. We will not allow any lawlessness being perpetrated by political gladiators,” Adebanjo added.
