Heavy gunshots as Shaibu, Okpebholo arrive Benin airport, several injured

By Jethro Ibileke

Heavy gun shots were heard at Airport Road, Benin, Edo State on Thursday, following exchange of gunfire between yet-to-be-identified waring factions, resulting in the injury of several persons.

The incident occurred when the APC governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, the reinstated state deputy governor, Phillip Shaibu and others, arrived from Abuja aboard a chartered private jet and were leaving the Benin Airport.

It was gathered that unknown gunmen who rode in a Toyota Sienna bus at the exit gate of the airport opened fire at the convoy of Okpebholo and Shaibu, a development that led to a reprisal gunshot by armed security details attached to the APC candidate and Shaibu.

The shots, audible inside the Airport Arrival Hall and along Airport Road, caused widespread panic, as businesses closed and drivers abandoned their vehicles in a rush to escape.

The timely intervention of the Mobile Squad of the Nigeria Police, however, brought the situation under control.

Meanwhile, several officers continued shooting to disperse the attackers as they fled in their vehicle.

The shooting occurred just a day after a Federal Court in Abuja ordered the Inspector-General of Police to restore the security details of Shaibu as Deputy Governor of Edo State, following the nullification of his impeachment.

Meanwhile, the deputy governor’s office located at Osadebey Avenue in the GRA was taken over by members of the Edo Security Network on Thursday morning.

It was, however, not clear whether Marvellous Omobayo, who was appointed by Governor Godwin Obaseki to take over from Shaibu, was in the office at the time the ESSN men took over his office.

Shaibu, who was received by a large crowd of youths had instructed the crowd to join the convoy to the Government House before the violent clash at the airport gate on Thursday.