By Simon Ebegbulem

The much awaited July 14 governorship election in Edo state may have come and gone but some families have been thrown into mourning following the untimely death of four persons including three police officers and an INEC ad-hoc staff who lost their lives while on election duty.

They met their untimely death when the boat conveying them with election materials to a riverine community in Ologbo, Ikpoba Okhai Local Government Council of Edo state capsized.  The deceased were identified as Inspector Johnson Aghedo, Constable Odudukudu Greg. The names of the other two casualties were yet to be disclosed to Saturday Vanguard.

As at the time of filling this report, only two lifeless bodies have been found while the marine policemen deployed in the area to search for the remaining bodies are still battling it out.

The incident occurred at the early hours of last Saturday and all the policemen involved were attached to Ologbo police station. That was the only tragic incident that occurred on the day of the election. It was learnt that election materials meant for that area were all destroyed but the Public Relation Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state, Mr Priscilla Imoudu-Sule denied that claim, saying that the boat was only conveying the officers but that the other boat conveying election materials to the area was safe.

*Constable Odudukudu Greg and Inspector Johnson Aghedo (Deceased Police officers)

Following the sad incident, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Operation, Force Headquarters Abuja, Marvel Akpoyibo paid a condolence visit to the deceased families, Inspector Johnson Aghedo and police Constable Odudukudu Greg in Benin City .

Inspector Aghedo is a 50-year-old man from Igbanke, in Orhiomnwon Local Government Council of Edo state while Constable Odudukudu is from Igueben Local Government Council of Edo state. DIG Akpoyibo visited the families in company of the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state,  Kassim Gaidam.

Inspector Johnson Aghedo is survived by four children, two boys, two girls and wife while Constable Odudukudu Greg left four years old daughter and wife behind. In his condolence speech , DIG Akpoyibo who described their death as sad and shocking, prayed God to give the families the fortitude  to bear the irreparable loss adding that the force will stand by them during and after the burial.

He regretted that the police force does not have enough marine officers therefore they had no choice than to detail ordinary officers to the area since it was a national assignment.He stated  that the policemen died while on active national service adding that they  paid the ultimate sacrifice as part of their contribution and success recorded in the last Saturday gubernatorial election.

On his part, the state resident INEC commissioner, Kassim Gaidam  said the victims died as heroes while on national duty saying  that the Commission is already preparing a life assurance policy package for the families in addition to a cash gift. “We felt very bad, we share your grief with you.

We are here to let you know that your husband died while on active duty. He equally contributed to the success we recorded in the election. He died a hero and we will stand by you during and after the burial”. He explained to Saturday Vanguard that “ the INEC has an insurance policy for all our staff including ad-hoc staff. So these people who died on duty are going to benefit from the insurance policy”.

On his part, Governor Oshiomhole who mourned the deceased officers shortly after he was announced as winner of the election said the state government will provide assistance to families of the deceased. Oshiomhole won the election after he polled 477,478 as against the 144,235 votes scored by his closest rival, Gen.Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His words: “I want to express my condolence to the families of the policemen and INEC ad-hoc staff who died when their boat capsized around Ologbo area. My heart goes tothe family. The Government of Edo state will support the families to ensure that their families will not lack”.

It was a pitiable sight when Saturday Vanguard visited the deceased families. Vera, the wife of Constable Odudukudu was a wreck when Saturday Vanguard visited. The situation was even more pitiable because the body of her husband was yet to be recovered. Vera is also a Police Constable working in Port Harcourt .

She lamented her story to Saturday Vanguard; “He spoke to me on the phone that he is going to the waterside area for the election and when they entered the boat he called me to say they were in the boat and heading to the village.

The last time he called me was 12:07pm and after that time I called his line but his phone was switched off. I went to the see the politic authority and told me they are still searching for the body of my husband. But I have been begging them to find his body if he is dead let me know, but I need to see.

After I called him severally and he did not pick, I called one of his friends and asked him about my husband, he said he is not yet back. I called another of his friends about him that one said my husband is not yet back. Then I called Anita my husband’s sister to go and check where he stays at Ologbo whether he is back, she went to Ologbo but she could not find him.

But some body now told her that he may be back around 12pm that Sunday. But I was not comfortable so I decided to leave Port Harcourt to come back to Benin to find out for myself what the problem was.  So I want to see my husband alive or dead that is what I am begging them now”.

When Saturday Vanguard visited the family of Inspector Aghedo, the wife of the deceased was found sleeping after taking sleep inducing drug. However, younger brother of the deceased Mr Omete Samuel and his son Kingsley, a Student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), faulted the police for sending out their officers to rivrine areas without a life jacket. They appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, and Governor Adams Oshiomhole to assist the family since the deceased left four children who are currently in school.

Omete said: “ The late Inspector Joseph Aghedo is my immediate elder brother. He was 50 years. We are indigenes of Igbanke, in Orhiomnwon Local Government Council of Edo state. He was an Inspector, he has served here in Edo state for many years before he was transferred to Ologbo where he died now. It has been very devastating really. He left four children behind, two boys and two girls.

They are all in school. We cant even know where to start from. He was building a house before he died. Even when he was alive it was not easy taking care of the four children. And the problem now is that we don’t even know where to go to and the police are very difficult people. And in a situation like this they will hardly tell you the truth. But more importantly, we are not happy the way and manner my brother died.

He was not a marine police officer, so how will they send him on such a mission without a life jacket. Íf my brother was given a life jacket he would have survived. We learnt that four of them drowned and he was the first to be rescued and we learnt that after he was rescued they left him without any first aid for hours.

We even heard that the people who rescued the other people were arrested and detained by the policemen who came. And they told us that if they had not arrested those rescuers they would have gone back to the river to assist my brother who was left in the river with the other policeman.

They left them in the water for about three hours. The first person they rescued is alive today and receiving treatment so if those people were allowed to go back immediately, my brother would have been alive today. But it has happened, people will say that it is the wish of God but I don’t believe this one is the wish of God.

It is even difficult to feed the family now, I am a mere civil servant and I cannot carry the load. Government and the police should come to our rescue. My brother is supposed to be insured so if he was insured let them help us process it. We are appealing to our Comrade Governor Oshiomhole to come and help us.

My brother has an aged mother who is still alive and this why his death came as shock to us. The Federal Government owns INEC so they should come and help us. That morning he called the wife that they were going for patrol at Ologbo but they later called to tell her that her husband died after the boat capsized”.

Kingsley who also worked as an ad-hoc staff in Uhumwonde Local Government Council during the last Saturday governorship election, narrated that he spoke to his father Friday before the election and the deceased pleaded with him to be careful on election day.

“On Friday he called me because I went for election duty as INEC adhoc staff. He called me and asked me where I was posted to so I told him Uhumwonde Local Government and he advised me to be careful.

But after the election on Saturday, we could not come back to Benin so we slept at Uhumwonde. On Sunday morning I was in the bus coming back to Benin when I received a call that my father had in accident. I was shocked that the Nigerian police will be sending people on election duties in the riverine area without a life jacket. That is shocking and we are devastated here. Who is now going to pay my school fees and that of my sisters and brother. I am still in shock”.