The ancient city of Benin, the capital of Edo State reportedly came under intense tension on Thursday, 16 October, 2014 following the arrest of the speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Uyi Igbe, the Majority Leader of the House, Philip Shaibu, and the Chief Whip, Folly Ogedengbe, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Abuja.
According to Vanguard report, the three lawmakers were detained by the anti graft agency for alleged forgery of the signature of one of PDP lawmakers, Rasaq Momoh, during the impeachment of Deputy Speaker of the House, Festus Ebea.
It was gathered that the trio were arrested and detained on Wednesday after they had travelled to Abuja on Monday on the invitation of the EFCC.
However, the detention of the lawmakers resulted into protest in Benin yesterday led by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Kabiru Adjoto.
Speaking on the situation, Adjoto vowed that they would stage a one million man march in Abuja, if the lawmakers were not released by yesterday, Thursday, describing the continued arrest and detention of the three lawmakers as unfortunate situation.
He condemned the EFCC for allowing itself to be turned into a tool for the PDP to use to witch hunt APC lawmakers in Edo State.
“If they kill our principal officers, we will fight with our blood,” Adjoto warned.
The lawmaker also alleged that there is a plot by the EFCC and the PDP to eliminate the arrested lawmakers, warning that the EFCC should be ready to kill the entire Edo people if anything went wrong with their principal officers.
It was gathered that the speaker, who is the son of the Iyase of Benin Kingdom (Prime Minister), is said to have fainted twice at the EFCC cell in Abuja after he was allegedly tortured.
“As I speak with you, the EFCC has arrested the speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, the Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu, Chief whip, Folly Ogedengbe. They were arrested Wednesday and as we speak they are being kept under very inhuman condition in Abuja.
“You are all aware that last week, there was a very vicious attack on the legislative quarters. Philip Shaibu sustained serious bullet wounds, the Speaker was wounded and the Chief whip was wounded equally.
“The EFCC arrested them not minding their health conditions. We are reliably informed that the Speaker of the House collapsed two times this morning. Philip is bleeding profusely and they are being denied medical attention.
“As we speak, the reasons for their arrest is that the EFCC said they forged the signature of Rasaq Momoh when the former deputy Speaker Festus Ebea was impeached.
“Our concern is this, when did the EFCC become an agency to investigate forgery of signature? When has forgery of signature become a financial crime? Impeachment of either the Speaker or Deputy Speaker is purely the business of the House. EFCC has no business what so ever with it. We are surprised that the EFCC can reduce itself to investigate a crime that has already been spelt out as a criminal matter according to the constitution.
“ The EFCC is not set up to investigate forgery of signature and that they have reduced themselves shows that they are not just acting.
“As we speak, the leadership of the PDP in Edo State is at the headquarters in Abuja. And the most worrisome is that the President of the country has given directive that these three principal officers of the Edo State House of Assembly be charged to court and be remanded indefinitely.
“That is giving us serious concerns. One will expect the police to investigate that matter, what has EFCC got to do with forgery of signature.?
“Last week these same people came here to kill us. As we speak, innocent people are being picked up on the streets of Benin, but the real people have that committed crime not been arrested. They went to PDP secretariat and were celebrating.
“But as a people, we will not fold our hands and allow this injustice to continue. We are giving EFCC till 4pm today to release these principal officers. If they refuse to release them, as a people we have resolved to organise a one million man march to Abuja and Abuja will know that we have arrived,” Adjoto said.
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