By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—THE Chairman of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, Hassan Kadiri, is dead.

The council boss died a few hours after youths of the council protested, calling on him to step aside due to health challenges.

Etsako West is Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s local government.

The youths were said to have stormed the secretariat recently, with placards and disrupted activities, saying the ill-health of the late council boss was slowing down development in the council.

Some of the protesters, alleged to be students of Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, were arrested by the police, while others escaped.

However, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Oshiobugie Mustapha, said the school was on holiday and that any student caught protesting should be prosecuted.

He said: “The school is on holiday. We are resuming on May 24. The Students Union Government, SUG’s vehicle was found at the scene of the protest. The union’s President should explain how the vehicle got there.”

It was alleged that the protest may have been masterminded by top council members. Late Kadiri was aged 54 and died of an undisclosed ailment.

Younger brother to late council boss, Prince Suleiman, said Kadiri died at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

He described the death as painful and sudden.

At press time, Kadiri’s remains had been taken to Auchi for burial according to Islamic rites.