Kidnap: Oshiomhole Tasks Police on Security for Clergymen

From Nigeria-

With the Sunday kidnap of the Anglican Bishop of Benin, Most Rev. Peter Imasuen in Benin, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has directed the Police to provide security around clergymen and worship centres in the state.

Oshiomhole gave the directive yesterday when members of the State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Benin to formally report the incident to him, saying that he was personally embarrassed by the kidnap of the Bishop.

He explained that his administration has provided about 100 vehicles and spent N200 million to provide communication gadgets to the Police to assist them in combating crime.
Oshiomhole who recalled the bad security situation of the state, said this prompted him to seek the Federal Government’s approval for the use of soldiers to support the Police in its efforts to combat crime in the state, adding that the effort paid off as the state experienced low crime rate during last Christmas period.

According to him, “I regretted that the Minister of Defence and an indigene of the state, Gen. Godwin Abbe [rtd] directed the withdrawal of the soldiers from the Police/Military Joint Security Task Force [Operation Thunderstorm], adding that the minister refused to pick his calls.

He informed the CAN members that about 100 fake policemen were recruited by the PDP through Uromi-Anegbette to Udaba armed with pump Action guns with intent to rig last Saturday’s election in Etsako Central Constituency House of Assembly re-run election.

“My worries are that they have gone away with these guns and uniforms. My pains and concern is that they are now likely to resort to violent crimes, lamenting that the uniforms and guns could not be retrieved.

While urging Nigerians to rise up and condemn the use of violence and fore arms in politics, Oshiomhole restated his call for one man one vote.

Earlier, Spokesman of CAN, Rev. Father Fichard Ofere had told the governor that they were in Government House to brief him about the kidnap of Bishop Imasuen who is the State Chairman of CAN.

He said they though it wise to brief the governor after their meeting about the incident before embarking on any action they deemed fit, adding, “we have been praying for Bishop Imasuen since yesterday”.

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