Olumide Akpata, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, has alleged that a senior official of the Edo State Government orchestrated the attack on him and attendees during an interactive session organized by the University of Benin Staff Club.
Speaking in a viral video released on Saturday, Akpata recounted the violent disruption of the event at the university, where he was a guest last Friday. He refuted claims that his security aides shot a UNIBEN student and clarified that a senior lecturer injured during the attack was receiving treatment at a local hospital in Benin.
Describing the interruption as shocking, Akpata highlighted the involvement of hoodlums claiming to be university students who disrupted the event, demanding prior notification. He asserted that security agents had to intervene to remove the barricade created by the hoodlums to facilitate his safe departure.
Akpata directly accused a senior official of the Edo State Government of deploying the hoodlums, linking the incident to the ongoing election season and the political maneuvers of entrenched politicians.
In response, the Edo State Government condemned the attack on Akpata, emphasizing its commitment to investigating the incident alongside claims and counterclaims made by Akpata and the Student Union Government of the university.
While the university management also condemned the violence, they announced plans for an investigation to ascertain the root cause of the disturbance, underscoring a commitment to maintaining peace and order on campus.
