Oshiomhole foils plot to loot govt lodge
•Threatens to Arrest Osunbor
From Ike Abonyi and Juliana Taiwo in Abuja, 11.15.2008

Saturday, November 15, 2008

The new governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in the early hours of Friday morning foiled an attempt by some suspected aides of former Governor Oserhiemen Osunbor to loot the Edo State Governor’s Lodge located along T.Y.Danjuma Crescent Asokoro, Abuja.




Oshiomhole who at the time was granting THISDAY his first print media interview since his swearing-in as governor, was suddenly alerted around 12 midnight yesterday and immediately led his personal security detail to intercept some property that was being carted away.

Police personnel at the lodge confirmed that Osunbor and his wife were there earlier in the day, but they could not confirm if they supervised the removal of the items from the lodge.

In reaction to the development, Oshiomhole threatened to arrest his predecessor “if the looting and vandalisation of government property is not discontinued and the stolen items returned immediately.”

THISDAY was conducting an interview with Oshiomhole in his private residence in Maitama when he received intelligence reports that suspected aides of Osunbor were in the lodge removing some items.

Oshiomhole immediately contacted the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro. But before Oshiomhole and his men could reach the lodge, most of the items in the lodge including cars, doors and window blinds, tables, chairs and electrical items like chandeliers, among others had been removed.

Oshiomhole and his team however intercepted some items including a new Hilux pick up truck (without registration plates) that was fully loaded with household items.

The driver of the vehicle was quizzed about the whereabouts of the number plates, but gave no coherent reply.

When he was manhandled by the security men who accompanied the governor, the driver eventually showed them where he had hidden them.

The driver was later handed over to the police along with eight other domestic staff found in the lodge.

THISDAY reporters who accompanied Oshiomhole to the lodge discovered that the huge house had been almost emptied with no reasonable item left behind.

It was also discovered that the police personnel guarding the lodge apparently looked the other way while the looting lasted.

The governor, who later led THISDAY team into the lodge said a similar thing happened at the Government House, Benin, “where even spoons were taken away.”

Oshiomhole said since his was a government chosen by the people, he might resort to them “to protect their property if the police failed to do so.”

The new governor said he was not too surprised at the development “because rogues have found their way into government and are even called Your Excellencies.”

Apparently to stem similar looting of other Edo State property, Oshiomhole instructed his aides to reach the Liaison Officer in Lagos to contact the Police Commissioner for adequate protection of all Edo property in the state.

Oshiomhole also warned that he might resort to the use of Edo people to protect their property, “if the Nigerian Police continues to look the other way while the looting of Edo property is carried out.” Efforts by THISDAY to reach Osunbor last night were fruitless.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin Edo State, had on Tuesday upheld the March 20 judgement of the Edo State Election Tribunal declaring the Action Congress (AC) candidate and the former President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) the duly elected governor in the April 2007 gubernatorial poll.

He was sworn in before a mammoth crowd on Wednesday in Benin.

http://odili.net/news/source/2008/nov/15/246.html

Inspite of all he has looted in the last nineteen months, he still deemed it fit to loot spoons and curtain blinds.
What sort of person is this?

He has lost all contact with decency even though he paraded himself as governor for 19 months, on a stolen mandate.

He stole the mandate of COMRADE GOVERNOR Oshiomole, he looted state funds, even as Oshiomole was been sworn in, he
was making last minute withdrawal of about 500 million naira.

Truly, an unexamined life is not worth living.

I weep for Nigeria, i weep for Osunbor, i weep for those clutching to all sort of stolen mandate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I certainly hope Oshiomole will not spend his term in office sweating mediocrity - the people of Edo state need real changes. He need not spend his time on this trivial stuff - trivial indeed; in the greater scheme of things, like creating jobs for the people of Edo state. Putting food on the table is what's really important to the guy who's struggling to make ends meet. He should speak to college grads who don't have jobs - or the necessary skillset for the job place. The students are his grassroot supporters

Assuming these allegations are true, there're avenues and other branches of govt to deal with this type of issues, it does not have to be the state executive branch.

We should not loose track of why the majority Edo state voted for him in the first place - it was not to arrest some unscrupulous person(s) allegedly stealing dishes and housewares.

He has opportunity to make true and lasting changes in the lives of the people of the state. I wish him all the best.

@cmatrix
Bro, i have problem with your submission on the above stated issue.
Are you suggesting that he closes his eyes to an ex-governor whose
only desire is to loot the state blind, leaving nothing for the original owner of the mandate to
start from the scratch.
He should be arrested if need be. Is there any justification for the action of a thief?
He should return all the illegal salaries and allowances, he paid himself and his cronies while in office.

We tend to treat matters of this nature with sentiment, which should not be.

It is becoming clear that oshiomole is not going to be different from his predecessor; osumbor. A man he should have arrested as soon as he took the oath of office.
Was oshiomole not the same parrot that was making noise about how much osunmbor was stealing while he was still governor? He is now diverting attention with how osunmbor is stealing plates and spoons.

It seems the brave people of Edo have been scammed.

Quite on the contrarary @meexteriox - I am not in anyway suggesting that Osumbo and his alleged cronies in crime should not be prosecuted for looting the liaison office in Abuja. I'm merely saying that Oshiomole should not loose track of the most important mandate to the electorate - making a difference in people's lives. And I don't see any other way to actualize this rather huge task, than to create jobs for the unemployed.

The last time I looked, we still have 3 main branches of government; the Executive, Legislative, and the Judiciary - the judiciary is responsible for ensuring the rule of law is adhered to. And if I may add, our legal system still works [at times, maybe], and there's due process. Oshiomole has benefited from this. Alleged crooked Ex-Govs can be brought to justice by the law - they can be probed successfully, and this' not the main duty of the executive branch.

We the electorate of the state are looking to our ex labor leader to provide some positive way forward, and move the state in the right direction. Oshiomole has always fought for the not so fortunate man thru rallies and general strikes, he's now at the helm of government to put some of those rally talking points into practice. He need not get people into the streets to get this done now.

He should concentrate on fighting for the people and not fighting for his personal comfort in the mansion.

nuzo:

It is becoming clear that oshiomole is not going to be different from his predecessor; osumbor. A man he should have arrested as soon as he took the oath of office.
Was oshiomole not the same parrot that was making noise about how much osunmbor was stealing while he was still governor? He is now diverting attention with how osunmbor is stealing plates and spoons.

It seems the brave people of Edo have been scammed.

Thanks for your concern but we can manage our own affairs. Its barely a week since he took over, give the man a chance, anyway try and concentrate on your own state.

im starting to be sceptical about oshiomole, the man seems to be playing to the gallery rather than doing what the people of the state elected him for,whygive the former governor that much attention especially on trivialities when the state needs to be sorted out??

Tornadoz:

Thanks for your concern but we can manage our own affairs. Its barely a week since he took over, give the man a chance, anyway try and concentrate on your own state.

Don't be silly my friend.
Were you managing your affairs while the likes of igbenedion, anenih and lately osunmbor destroy the state and her treasury? You can manage your affairs, yet edo state is the safe haven for dare devil armed robbers and international prostitutes? You can manage your affairs, but most edo poeple see the state as the mogandishu and kigali of nigeria?
When did you actually realize you can manage your affairs alone?

Could oshiomele have come this far without the support of other nigerians? And since when did edo state become the property of edo people alone?
don't you know that nigerians might take a cue from oshiomole if he gets it right this time? And for oshiomole to achieve all his goals(if he has any) needs all the support he can get from nigeria as a whole.

Even oshiomole himself cannot give such orders and you with a hidden identity on nairaland is trying to give one.


No vex me abeg

I had wanted to keep quiet but I can't.Oshiomole should be prepared for what the good Lord shall do to him.He goes about trying to play the good guy meanwhile he is as evil as he looks. Osunbor is not a thief and is a righteous man belief it or not and I know the events that took place on that nightin Abuja. Comrade asked them to vacate the house and as the cooks and driver were leaving, he tied them up and beat them mercilessly, even breaking both the driver's legs.People should be advised to stop falling for everything they read, as we all know seeing is believing. My advice to Osunbor is to continue to put his head up wherever he goes because he has done entirely positive things,people dont know the difference btw good and evil even though it smacks them across their faces, the God he serves is not asleep and shall lead him to victorious part once again AMEN. Mark my words, the people of edo have made the worst mistakes of their lives, u remember I told u so!

Osunbor, am just getting to know this guy. How could an ex-governor fall so low by stealing plates and cutlery. . And Yar'adua is considering him as Niger deltan minister or governor. Is it until he steals the street lights, electric meters, and cushions (if any) in that region that this president would consider another man for the job. .

Nigeria, you be country.

lucabrasi:

I'm starting to be sceptical about oshiomole, the man seems to be playing to the gallery rather than doing what the people of the state elected him for,whygive the former governor that much attention especially on trivialities when the state needs to be sorted out??

I've been screaming this right from when the appeal happened.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=194010.msg3072765#msg3072765

In the above thread when Myself & other right thinking Forum members said Oshiomole was gonna run a Noisy govt without substance
Some ppl who cant see past their noses came out Guns Blazing.

From here on out, expect Osunbor to be blamed anytime Oshiomole gets an Itch.
Adams is just an empty vessel