Political Thuggery In Edo: A Wake Up Call To Nigeria Police Force

By Osetohanmen Flourish

Nearly all the elections conducted in Edo State, be they presidential, governorship, house of assembly or the local government elections, are not without soured taste due to the overbearing activities of political thugs who often than not hijack nearly all the electoral processes.

Beginning with the election of party candidates, to electioneering campaigns and the election proper, political thugs who are sometimes well armed with dangerous weapons, including automatic rifles, always have field days.

Unfortunately, the hapless security agents look the other way when these political hoodlums are perpetuating their violent activities. This is so because the political thugs enjoy the backing of highly placed government officials and politicians.

As a result of their high level connection in the Nigerian society, these political thugs are hardly brought to book, thus they operate as people above the law. Not a few innocent people have been sent to their early graves while many more others are carrying varying types of injuries, for daring to challenge the audacious activities of the ‘all powerful’ daredevil thugs.

Only recently, a 49 year old politician based in Edo State, Mr. Gimon Solomon and his wife, tasted the venom of the political thugs; but unlike many others, they were lucky to be alive to tell the story.

At least, this duo was attacked differently and at different times because of governorship and local government elections.

Mr. Gimon Solomon, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Godwin Obaseki, and members of his campaign team were brazenly attacked by political thugs during a political rally along the Upper Mission Road axis of Benin City. The campaigners were beaten black and blue by the thugs allegedly engaged by a rival political party – the All Progressives Congress (APC).

But when the dust settled, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), political campaigners were left with various degrees of injuries. Whereas Mr. Gimon was rushed to the St. David Clinic for medical attention, and others were taken to other nearby hospitals in the area.

According to one of the victims who refused to mention his identity for fear of attack, “our rally was going on peacefully when suddenly some armed men, carrying dangerous weapons including battle axes, iron rods, cutlasses, sticks, etc pounced on us. They attacked us mercilessly because we were campaigning for the PDP.

“When they were satisfied with the injuries they inflicted on us, they warned us never to campaign or support the PDP or else they will end our lives.

“Some good Nigerians in the area took pity on us and rushed us to different hospitals, according to our injuries. One of our leaders, Mr. Gimon received severe head and leg injuries.”

For Mr. Gimon Solomon, that attack was just the beginning. He soon started receiving threat messages from faceless people but unfortunately for him, the assailants on July 26, 2023, visited his house and when they couldn’t find him, they turned their anger against his wife who they beat to the point of removing some of her teeth.

Still not done with Mr. Gimon Solomon, the hoodlums on September 19, 2023, went to his residence but only the gateman, Solomon’s wife and children were in the house. Luckily for members of his family, they weren’t discovered in their hiding place in the house.

The political thugs went on a rampage, inflicting bodily injuries on the gateman, shooting sporadically at anything in sight and destroying valuable property and equipment in the house.

It was at this point that Mr. Gimon Solomon felt the need to lodge the matter with the police. He reported all his ordeals in the hands of political thugs at the police headquarters in Benin City.

When contacted for a comment, the police command’s image maker, CSP Chidi Nwanbueze, confirmed receiving complaints from Mr. Gimon Solomon, saying that the matter was under investigation.

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