By Kingsley Omonobi

The Nigerian Police Force has addressed the controversy surrounding the arrest of several individuals in Edo State, alleged to be members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), just days before the governorship election.

Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, clarified on Channels TV’s “Politics Today” that those arrested were implicated in the gruesome murder of Police Inspector Onuakpor at Benin Airport on July 18, 2024.

Adejobi explained that a viral video showing officers attempting to arrest a man, who was later mobbed by a crowd, was actually an incident where a suspect indicted for the inspector’s murder was arrested with a court warrant. The police chose to leave the scene to maintain professionalism amidst protests.

Regarding the arrest of other individuals taken to Abuja, Adejobi stated that they were arrested for unauthorized possession of firearms, which allows for prosecution anywhere in the country under the Firearms Act of 2015. He emphasized that the police followed due process, in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

Adejobi dismissed allegations of bias towards a particular party, saying, “The Police is not in possession of membership lists of political parties… We are out for suspects involved in the gruesome murder of a Police Officer.” He reassured that the police will not tolerate such murderers going free, regardless of their identity or location.

Key Points:

Arrests Connected to Murder: The arrests in Edo State are linked to the murder of Police Inspector Onuakpor.

Court Warrants: Arrests were made based on court warrants and investigations.

Police Professionalism: Police chose to leave the scene to maintain professionalism amidst protests.

Firearms Offenses: Other individuals arrested for unauthorized possession of firearms.

No Bias: Police claim no partiality towards any party, focusing on justice for the murder case.