Former Commissioner for Information in Edo State, Mr. Louis Odion, has urged operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) to interrogate Chief Tony Anenih over an attempt on his life by suspected assassins in 2012.
Odion, a Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), made the call in a statement, copy of which was made available to us yesterday.
Reacting to the recent directive by the Inspector General of Police to reopen the murder case of former Justice Minister, Chief Bola Ige and other assassinations in the country, Odion said:
“From the impression we were given early this year that Chief Tony Anenih had become too weak after a heart surgery in London ostensibly to evade being invited by SSS to explain his alleged N300 million share of the Dasuki $15 billion arms loot, it is interesting to see that he has now suddenly thrown the crutches away to be attending political campaign rallies in Edo in the past few weeks.
“Now that the old Mr. Fix It is back on his feet, time has come for him to come clean on the open threat to me at the palace of the Oba of Benin on February 17, 2012 and later the assassination attempt on me in Benin City on April 29, 2012.
“I had addressed a press conference as well as notified the security agencies then even as Edo Information Commissioner, expressing the strong view that Chief Anenih be quizzed on the two incidents because I strongly believe he was not joking when he made the threat to deal with me in February 2012.
“But because PDP was in power then and Chief Anenih was still the almighty Chairman of PDP BOT, nobody dared asked him to come and explain. They were boasting then that they were in charge of all the security agencies and so could do and undo.
“Then Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, is a living witness of the incident at the Oba’s palace on that day. I was exchanging pleasantries with him when Chief Anenih walked in and, finger pointing at my face, he said to the hearing of everyone that ‘Odion, you will soon see what will happen to you!’ He said that four times.
“A day or two later, I addressed a press conference in Benin raising the alarm that Chief Anenih had threatened to eliminate me.
“I recalled that the then Director of DSS later spoke with me and was of the view that I should have allowed them to handle the matter without me having to go public. But nothing was done to Chief Anenih.
“Just as I had feared, gunmen stormed my residence on the night of April 29, 2012. They had overpowered my gateman. By divine providence, I was held back at a meeting with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at the Government House, which dragged on till the early hours of Sunday (April 30).
In panic, my folks at home raised the alarm that night, which attracted the community’ vigilante group who responded swiftly and engaged the gunmen in a shoutout. At some point, the gunmen took to their heels.
“I had called attention then that it just might be that the threat Chief Anenih earlier issued was to be carried out. Nothing was done.
“Four days later, my colleague in government then, Olaitan Oyerinde, was not that lucky as he was brutally murdered at his residence in Benin.
“Curiously, after much public uproar and persistent crusade by Comrade Oshiomhole, the police and the DSS later paraded two sets of suspects for Oyerinde’s murder.
“Curiously still, the set paraded by the DSS, I am told, confessed they were the ones that earlier came to my house.
“I renewed my call that Chief Anenih be questioned, but nothing was done because they were in power then.
“Now that Chief Anenih appears to have fully recovered his health, I believe he is fit enough to be made to answer the charges.
“Nobody should be above the law of the land.”
Reacting to the recent directive by the Inspector General of Police to reopen the murder case of former Justice Minister, Chief Bola Ige and other assassinations in the country, Odion said:
“From the impression we were given early this year that Chief Tony Anenih had become too weak after a heart surgery in London ostensibly to evade being invited by SSS to explain his alleged N300 million share of the Dasuki $15 billion arms loot, it is interesting to see that he has now suddenly thrown the crutches away to be attending political campaign rallies in Edo in the past few weeks.
“Now that the old Mr. Fix It is back on his feet, time has come for him to come clean on the open threat to me at the palace of the Oba of Benin on February 17, 2012 and later the assassination attempt on me in Benin City on April 29, 2012.
“I had addressed a press conference as well as notified the security agencies then even as Edo Information Commissioner, expressing the strong view that Chief Anenih be quizzed on the two incidents because I strongly believe he was not joking when he made the threat to deal with me in February 2012.
“But because PDP was in power then and Chief Anenih was still the almighty Chairman of PDP BOT, nobody dared asked him to come and explain. They were boasting then that they were in charge of all the security agencies and so could do and undo.
“Then Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, is a living witness of the incident at the Oba’s palace on that day. I was exchanging pleasantries with him when Chief Anenih walked in and, finger pointing at my face, he said to the hearing of everyone that ‘Odion, you will soon see what will happen to you!’ He said that four times.
“A day or two later, I addressed a press conference in Benin raising the alarm that Chief Anenih had threatened to eliminate me.
“I recalled that the then Director of DSS later spoke with me and was of the view that I should have allowed them to handle the matter without me having to go public. But nothing was done to Chief Anenih.
“Just as I had feared, gunmen stormed my residence on the night of April 29, 2012. They had overpowered my gateman. By divine providence, I was held back at a meeting with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at the Government House, which dragged on till the early hours of Sunday (April 30).
In panic, my folks at home raised the alarm that night, which attracted the community’ vigilante group who responded swiftly and engaged the gunmen in a shoutout. At some point, the gunmen took to their heels.
“I had called attention then that it just might be that the threat Chief Anenih earlier issued was to be carried out. Nothing was done.
“Four days later, my colleague in government then, Olaitan Oyerinde, was not that lucky as he was brutally murdered at his residence in Benin.
“Curiously, after much public uproar and persistent crusade by Comrade Oshiomhole, the police and the DSS later paraded two sets of suspects for Oyerinde’s murder.
“Curiously still, the set paraded by the DSS, I am told, confessed they were the ones that earlier came to my house.
“I renewed my call that Chief Anenih be questioned, but nothing was done because they were in power then.
“Now that Chief Anenih appears to have fully recovered his health, I believe he is fit enough to be made to answer the charges.
“Nobody should be above the law of the land.”