SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY
It was a pitiable sight last Tuesday, January 10,2012, seeing Mr Saturday Osobor, a motor mechanic, at the Edo State Police Command with his deceased 21 year-old son, Evans who was allegedly shot dead by a yet to be identified soldier at Esigie junction, first East Circular road Benin City.

The tragic incident occurred in the heat of the protest which enveloped Benin following the Federal Government’s removal of subsidy on petroleum product. It would be recalled that hoodlums hijacked the peaceful protest organized in the state by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in collaboration with civil society organizations.

The hoodlums who went on a looting spree attacked business organizations, stores which pitched them against security agencies. Men of the Joint Task force codenamed “Operation Thunder Storm came to the rescue to check the activities of the rampaging youths.

Saturday Osobor

The hoodlums engaged the Joint patrol team in a physical fight and it was in this melee that Evans, a motor mechanic like his father, who was ignorant of the madness in town, lost his life at a tender age. It would be recalled that following the stay at home order issued by the state chapter of NLC due to the violent protest witnessed last Monday, security agents were on alert to enforce the order.

But the father of the deceased Saturday, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard, alleged that a soldier attached to the State Anti Crime Unit, code name Operation Thunder Storm shot directly at the son around Esigie area Benin City.”So I had to bring the corpse of my son to the state CID so that the police will investigate and tell me what my son did. He was not protesting or fighting anybody. I only told him to go and buy some things for me.”

Osobor further narrated his ordeal: “My son is 21 years old and has been working with me for the past three years as a mechanic. He is now an expert in the business.

He is my second son and it is sad that I lost him so early. A boy I sent to buy parts for me. What happened was that I sent my son to go and buy spare parts for me at Igun because I am a mechanic. Shortly after I sent him, somebody came to tell me that my son has been shot dead somewhere along first East Circular road, by Esigie junction.

So I ran to the place. When I got there I saw my son lying in the pool of blood and I found out that he was shot. When I got there, I met some soldiers and mobile policemen attached to the Operation Thunderstorm.

People were pointing at a particular soldier that he was the one that killed my son. But the whole place was rowdy, in fact the soldiers there did not even want me to touch my son. They were still shooting and pursing people. The number of their Hilux Van is 052.

Because of the tension so that I would not be shot too, I ran away to call my brother leaving my son on the ground because they refused I should touch him. So we went to search for a vehicle that we would use to carry the corpse. We came back and carried the corpse to the Esigie Police Station to make a formal report. But the DPO there chased us out and said we should go to the State CID.

We got to the State CID, they said we should go back to Esigie and make the report there. But we insisted that we must see the Commissioner of Police but we were told that he was in a meeting so it was the Acting Police Public Relations Officer that we met, Mr Ejiroro. He now told us to go back to Esigie and make the report.

That was where we met with some journalists who took pictures of the corpse. So we decided to go to Government House so as to make our case to the Governor. But the SSS people there did not let us in. So we moved the corpse to Esigie Police station again but the DPO was very furious at us. So we became scared so that he would not shoot us.

He said we should take the corpse to the Army that he was killed by an Army man. Having gone everywhere and nobody to listen to us, we decided to take the corpse to the mortuary.

…Slain lad’s father’s effort to reach Oshiomhole

We went to the Government House again this morning (Thursday) to see the Governor but they could not let us in. We met the SA on protocol to the Governor, one Egharevba and he said it was not the business of government ,that the people they killed were criminals.

That was his comment today being 12th of January. We know that if we had met the Governor he will not address us that way because he is a listening Governor. But his people were too harsh to us. They don’t even want to listen to our problem.

My only appeal is that the Comrade Governor should help us investigate the matter because I know my son was not involved in that protest. I only told him to go and buy my spare parts. I would not have been bothered if he participated in that protest but he never did. And that is what is worrisome to me now.

He was killed by Esigie junction along the road. It was not near any Hausa quarters at all. I only want justice to be done because this is very unfair. I am just a mechanic managing my family. Nigerians should come to my aide because my son cannot die like that.”

However, Oshiomhole who reacted to the violence that greeted the protest last Monday and Tuesday, commended the NLC for the peaceful protest organized in the state, however regretted that it was later hijacked by hoodlums who he alleged was sponsored by opposition politicians.

He vowed that the state government would deal with politicians and criminals who hide under the guise of the removal of fuel subsidy to forment trouble in the state. Oshiomhole stated this when he addressed the Arewa community at Aduwawa, Eyean and Esigie in Benin-City . Reacting to the violent protests and attacks on some innocent people in the state capital, Governor Oshiomhole said: “You don’t have to be afraid.

We are ready to deal with any criminal. Anybody who is planning to foment trouble will be dealt with squarely, because politicians have hijacked this protest. They want to create problems.”The Governor noted that Nigeria is one country, adding that wherever you live you are an indigene of that place.“In Edo State , everybody is an indigene. You are free to live in Benin . Nobody can drive you from Edo State .

You don’t have to be afraid. Those people who are behind this, we will fish them out and deal with them according to law”, he added. Assuring them of protection, Oshiomhole said “the Army and the Police have been briefed to take adequate measures to protect lives and properties. “Nigeria is undergoing some difficulties.

This time will come and go. We are one and the same. Nobody can own Nigeria more than the other. You can see these people are not protesting over oil .Their motive is different. They plot mischief and spread fear in the land.

”The Governor urged people of the state to be wary of the rumour mongers who spread mischief to cause trouble and confusion.Comrade Oshiomhole who debunked the claim that a Benin based transporter bus and station were burnt in one of the Northern states urged them to remain peaceful.

In an interview, the owner of Big Joe Motors, Mr. Joseph Osanyande said none of his vehicles was burnt or vandalized and appealed to Nigerians to live as brothers and sisters.

Also, the police Commissioner in the state, Mr David Omojola, disclosed that 50 persons have been arrested in respect to the violent protest.