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‘Edo witnessed significant security challenges under Oshiomhole’
A supporter of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, Ekene Aninze Esq., has faulted recent comments by Senator Adams Oshiomhole linking Obi’s administration in Anambra State to the activities of the Bakassi Boys.
Speaking in reaction to Oshiomhole’s appearance on Channels Television, Aninze described the senator’s claims as false and an attempt to undermine Obi’s political credibility ahead of future elections.
According to him, the Bakassi Boys did not operate during Obi’s tenure as governor of Anambra State. He argued that the vigilante group was introduced during the administration of former Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju and continued through the period of former Governor Chris Ngige.
Aninze maintained that one of Obi’s early actions upon assuming office in 2006 was to outlaw all forms of Bakassi Boys operations in the state, regardless of the guise under which they functioned.
He also challenged Oshiomhole’s assertion that Edo State enjoyed relative peace during his tenure as governor, which overlapped with Obi’s time in office.
The Obi supporter claimed that Edo State witnessed significant security challenges during Oshiomhole’s administration, including incidents of kidnapping and cult-related violence.
He cited the 2013 kidnapping of senior lawyer Mike Ozekhome along the Auchi Road as one of the high-profile incidents that drew national attention to the state’s security situation and sparked protests by legal practitioners.
Aninze further referenced the killing of Oshiomhole’s former Principal Private Secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde, who was murdered at his residence in Benin City in May 2012, describing the incident as evidence of the security concerns that existed in the state at the time.
He questioned Oshiomhole’s criticism of Obi’s handling of insecurity, noting that the former Edo governor had previously argued that state governors had limited control over security agencies because they remained under federal authority.
Aninze also pointed to Oshiomhole’s current role as an ally of President Bola Tinubu and his previous association with the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, arguing that insecurity had worsened nationally during both periods.
According to him, Edo North Senatorial District, which Oshiomhole currently represents in the Senate, remains one of the areas facing security challenges in Edo State.
He said Oshiomhole lacked the moral authority to use insecurity as a basis for attacking Obi’s record, insisting that public officials should be assessed using verifiable facts and documented events.
Neither Senator Oshiomhole nor Peter Obi had publicly responded to Aninze’s latest remarks as of the time of filing this report.