Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, has called on the police, the Department for State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other relevant security agencies in the country, to invite Benin billionaire, Captain Hosa Okunbo to unveil the identities of “the 3000 Niger Delta militants” he mentioned in a recent interview.
According to the Governor’s aide, “Okunbo, who is the sponsor of candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 19 gubernatorial election, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, threatened in a widely published newspaper interview he granted journalists in Abuja, that if his 3000 militants in the Niger Delta region get the nod from him, they would overrun Benin City.”
Osagie added: “Okunbo’s subtle threat leaves a lot of gaps that need to be filled by security agencies. He said he has 3000 youths he is partnering with in the Niger Delta region.”
He queried: “What kind of partnership does he have with these militants? How did he become their Commander-In-Chief? Why is it that we are only at peace in Benin City simply because he has decided to be merciful by not giving the go-ahead to them to invade Edo? Is overrunning a state like Edo part of their job description in the so-called partnership he has with these militants? How sure are we that he will not change his mind on or before the election and order his thugs to come into Benin and do the damage?”
Obaseki’s aide maintained that “These and more questions should agitate the minds of our security officials and all well meaning Edo people. The security agencies need to establish the identities of these militants and the nature of partnership between them and Okunbo, as we go into the Edo gubernatorial poll.”
In the press interview, Okunbo told journalists: “As I speak to you, I have over three thousands youths in the Niger Delta that I am partnering with, and so many of them have been calling me, oga, this election in Edo State, they want to rubbish you o!”
“And I said hey, stop! Because I can’t see myself having spent time and energy to turn my children positively into a new direction, I will now say I want to use them for election, God forbid. My youths in the Niger Delta, my children that I am looking after in the Niger Delta, if they come into Benin, they will overrun Benin my brother,” the Benin billionaire added.
