By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin City
It was only a matter of time that Osakpanwa Eriyo, alias No Molest would have his cup full. And it came sooner than later :last Monday.

Eriyo

For the two years or so of his “rule” as Chairman, Edo State Tasks Force on Pipeline Vandalisation, Eriyo was a t error of sort; an untouchable.

He doubled as Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, in the state and youth leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

He had scores of “boys” at his disposal for deployment 24/7.

For his active role in the electioneering campaign of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, he was aptly rewarded when the government came on board with the privilege of collecting levies in all motor parks and markets in Oredo Local Government Area.

That responsibility used to be performed by Chief Osamede Adun, alias Bob Izua when the PDP held sway. But with the ouster of the PDP, the ACN government handed it over to Eriyo who, as the tale goes, stormed Adun’s house one early morning, sacked him, the way members of their union traditionaly depose leaders, and proclaimed his own authority.

Adun now goes about like a dog with his tail between its two legs. Eriyo’s security is provided by about 50 of his “boys” and mobile policemen.

They displayed the stuff they were made off at last year’s re-run election in Ovia North Local Government Area when they descended on a reporter, Osagie Otabor of The Nation at Oghede. His offence: taking a photograph of Eriyo’s “boys”. Otebor’s colleagues who sought to intervene received a similar treatment. They only stopped the pounding when Eriyo said enough.

Last Monday, however, Eriyo allegedly assaulted a son of the Oba of Benin, Prince Ekpen Erediauwa at a meeting of ACN leaders in Oredo Local Government Area, an action considered a taboo in the kingdom.
As news of his action spread, Benin chiefs and women embarked on a “cursing session” raining curses on Eriyo. He is now wanted by the Police in connection with the killing of two men – Raphael Oke and Osamuyi Obaze, while the state government has suspended him as the Task Force Chairman, and the ACN as its youth leader.

But reacting from a hideout, Eriyo said: “For the avoidance of doubt, I was not any where close to the alleged place of shooting. On the 15th of March, 2011 when the shooting allegedly took place, I was at the Edo State Government House as early as 8am on the invitation of government. I was in Government House till about 3:30pm. On getting to my office at No 168 Ekenwa Road, I was informed by Union officers that some of our union personnel had been critically shot by Mr Tony Kabaka Adun.

“I wish to emphatically state that the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) is a national recognized union, which exist by virtue of an enabling Act of the exclusive statutory mandate to manage and administer motor parks across the country. On the day of the unfortunate incident, the authentic report reaching me is that the union personnel were doing their normal duties in the motor park within Lagos street axis and not in the market place.

Therefore they could not have been collecting government revenue as alleged in the reports. It is also noteworthy that the episode between me and the Transition Committee Chairman of Oredo, Prince Ekpen Erediauwa is being unfairly exploited by Tony Kabaka and his cohorts to forment trouble within the Benin metropolis in a desperate bid to earn undue profit. For the avoidance of doubt, I have already categorically denied assaulting the Prince and neither did I order any one to do so.

I wish to reiterate that I am prepared to submit myself to any of our know Benin traditional process of oath taking to vouch for my innocence. As a thorough breed Benin man, I know and respect the traditional values of our people and the exalted place of royalty in our lives. I can therefore never do any thing that will debase our reveled tradition.”