David Williams
The Edo House of Assembly has summoned the State’s Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, to explain the circumstances surrounding the arrest of a traditional ruler from Ikpeshi within the Assembly complex.
The House invited Agbonika to appear before an executive session with the lawmakers on Tuesday at 1 pm.
The Assembly also invited the Ikpeshi warring factions over violent clashes arising from a kingship dispute and revenue collection crises in the community.
At a meeting on June 18 with Ikpeshi factions, the lawmakers directed both parties to maintain peace and suspend all actions pending resolution of the ongoing crises.
Raising a matter of urgent public importance at plenary on Monday, the Majority Leader, Jonathan Aigbokhan, condemned the arrest of an invited traditional ruler within the Assembly complex by the Nigerian police.
He stated that the CP disrespected the lawmakers by arresting one of its guests formally invited by the House.
Other lawmakers condemned the arrest, demanding the immediate release of the traditional ruler and urging the police to respect legislative proceedings and protocols.
The Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, described the arrest and detention of the traditional ruler as sacrilegious, saying the act by officers of the Edo Police Command was a direct affront to the Assembly.
Agbebaku said, “We are not disputing the police’s right to arrest, but they should not have done so inside the premises of the Assembly complex.
“If they want to arrest someone, they should invite them to the command, not someone the Assembly formally invited for a peace dialogue.
“The member representing Akoko-Edo II, Donald Okogbe, raised the issue, and I immediately convened a meeting with the Ikpeshi warring factions that same day.
“Instead, the commissioner sent officers to arrest one of our guests within the Assembly. If such an arrest was necessary, they should have gone to Ikpeshi, not here,” he added.
He ordered the immediate release of the traditional ruler to enable him to be part of the investigation of the House on the Ikpeshi community crisis.
