11th July, 2015
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Five persons have been arrested and paraded by operatives of the Zone 5 Police Headquarters, Benin City, for allegedly conspiring to assassinate one Etionsa Ighodalo of Iyowa community in Ovia North-East local government area of Edo State over local politics of who becomes Youth Chairman of Iyowa community.
Spokesman for Zone 5, ASP Emeka Iheneanacho, who briefed journalists in Benin at the weekend, gave names of the suspects as Osahon Iserhienrhien Monday Idele, Uhunoma Idele, Iyobo Iyamu, Odion Omwamghe and Augustine Igbinovia.
It was gathered that the principal suspect, Osahon Iserhienrhien, in collaboration with other suspects, hired one Osahon Johnson to assassinate Ighodalo.
“The assassins were to carry out the assignment on the 4th of July, 2015 when the Zonal Operatives got wind of it and arrested Monday Idele and Uhunoma Idele, whose statements helped in the arrest of the principal suspect, Osahon Iserhienrhien, Iyobor Iyamu, Odion Omwanghe and Augustine Igbininovia on the 5th July 2015 at the Native Doctor shrine where they seek for voodoo and spiritual protection,” Iheneanacho said, adding that the remote cause of the sinister plan was power tussle between Mr. Etionsa Ighodalo ant the principal suspect, Osahon Iserhienrhien.
The police spokesman said item recovered at the Native Doctor’s Shrine was a list containing names of Etionsa Ighodalo and nine others allegedly targeted for murder by the suspects.
Also paraded by the Zone 5 Command was one Stephen Enakhare Oshioma, suspected to be a notorious fraudster who specializes in forging and faking corporate institutions’ documents such as University Degree Certificates, School Certificates, drivers licenses, bank statement of accounts, among others.
The suspect was arrested at his No. 6, Paul Omorodion Street, BDPA Ugbowo, following a tip-off.
Following his arrest, his house was searched which led to the recovery of several forged Certificates of Ambrose Alli University, Auchi Polytechnic, College of Education, Ekiadolor and sets of computers, rubber stamps of various tertiary, banking and corporate institutions within Edo and Oyo states.
The Zone 5 Command spokesman said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.