The Department of State Security, DSS, Edo State, acting on security report, arrested 61 alleged Militants lodged at a motel in Benin City belonging to Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Edo State, Barr Henry Idahagbon.
The arrested militants, allegedly from Delta and Kogi states, have allegedly been camped at that motel for almost 4 weeks.
Residents in the area alerted the security agency after they suspected suspicious behavior and strange faces around their neighbourhood and the constant smoking of Indian hemp by the hotel occupants for many weeks.
Found in their possessions and in the store room of the Henry Motel were sophisticated weapons and foreign currency allegedly being owned or given to the militants by their contractors.
It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission had a few days before the rescheduled September election announced a postponement of the earlier slated gubernatorial elections of September 10 to September 28, as a result of security report from the Nigerian police and Department of State Security.
To this end, the PDP had blown the whistle of foul play and alleged interference with the electoral umpire as there were no known Security challenges in Edo State.
The State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Chris Nehikhare, had earlier reported that the Edo State government had hired assassins and militants from other states and had lodged them in some hotels across the state so as to use them to perpetuate electoral violence on the election day.
This revelations now confirms the allegations levelled against the APC led Government that indeed the governor’s men were camping hoodlums to be used on the election day.
The militants have been taken to the State Police headquarters for more investigations. They will be charged to court..
