Barely 24 hours after an attack on leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Edo State, including Peter Obi, former Nigerian Bar Association President Olumide Akpata has detailed how the incident unfolded.
Akpata, who previously contested the Edo State governorship election under the Labour Party (LP), revealed that both he and Obi independently received intelligence on Tuesday warning that the venue of their political gathering in Benin City could soon be attacked.
“I was in harm’s way, there’s no doubt. I was alongside other people. We were in harm’s way yesterday in Benin,” he said on Politics Today on Wednesday.
“Thankfully, due to the efforts of some of the security personnel who were there, I think what could have been a very dastardly event was averted yesterday.”
According to the lawyer-turned-politician, LP members in Edo had assembled at the party’s secretariat on Ogbelaka Street for a formal defection ceremony into ADC scheduled for 11 a.m.
He explained that as proceedings continued, credible intelligence indicated that the location might soon come under attack.
“We got information as the event proceeded from sources that are usually reliable that the venue would very soon come under attack from some unknown persons.
“I received that information separately. Mr. Obi received that information… and we were advised to speed up the event… to avert what those persons thought would be a crisis,” he said.
Akpata described the secretariat as “a very tight building, narrow building, and even a stampede would be dangerous,” noting that the surrounding street “is densely populated.”
He said the programme was quickly wrapped up and leaders escorted out of the premises.
“We told them that, listen, because of this development, come to Chief Oyegun’s house. We would address the press there.
“This was a decision taken on the fly because… things had changed. We didn’t have time to do any press [briefing]. Anything could have happened,” he said.
Shortly after their departure, armed men reportedly stormed the secretariat. Akpata disclosed that his cousin narrowly avoided being struck by a bullet.
“We started getting calls that as soon as we left the secretariat on Ogbelaka Street, some guys actually showed up and attacked the venue, attacked people,” he said.
Following the incident, the Edo State Government directed the police to launch an investigation. Governor Monday Okpebholo condemned the attack and assured that those responsible would be brought to justice.