A coalition of civil society groups under the name, Network of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria, NOCSON, yesterday, lamented that 26 days after a shooting along Airport Road in Benin City, the Police have not arrested those behind the attack led to the death of an Inspector of Police, Onu Akor.
The group said there were videos all over social media showing faces of people with guns but they have not been arrested, warning that the state would be sitting on a keg of gunpowder if those who took part in the act were not arrested and brought to book especially now that the state is preparing for the governorship election.
President of the group, Emmanuel Ogbidi, at a press conference in Benin City also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure a level playing field for all participants and voters in the election.
He said the group was not interested in political parties the perpetrators might belong to but the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and other security agencies must step up their games and build up the confidence of the people by arresting the culprits.
“This delay by the Nigeria Police to take very crucial decisions has cast a shadow of doubt on the capacity and professionalism of the Edo State command to handle issues in the coming days as we approach the gubernatorial election. Edo people will have no iota of confidence if the needed action is not taken immediately”, Ogbidi said.
On the election, he said: “We want to use this opportunity to charge the INEC to conduct an election that is free, fair and credible such that no party will be willing to contest its result in court as the process will be visibly transparent in line with global best practices and the Electoral Act as amended.
“The election must be a deviation and of great improvement on the 2023 general elections where BVAS was alleged to be highly manipulated and electronic transmission of result was jettisoned at the eleventh hour owing to a purported technical glitch after spending billions of taxpayers money on the process”
Ogbidi, while commending INEC on their professionalism during the last voters registration exercise in the state, urged the Commission to ensure that all PVCs and documents necessary for Edo voters to vote are available and worked upon so that nobody will be disenfranchised owing to their inadequacies.