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Benue police, council boss spar over IPOB invasion claims

A council boss alleges that some politicians plotting to destabilise his administration instigated some people to hoist the IPOB flag in the area.

• November 4, 2020
Samuel Ortom (Credit: Benue State Government Website)
Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom (Credit: Benue State Government Website)

The Benue Police Command and the Chairman of Ado Local Government Area James Oche have made different claims about the hoisting of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) flag in the local government.

On Wednesday, police spokeswoman in the state, Catherine Anene, while responding to a NAN enquiry said no IPOB flag was hoisted at Ado, or in fact any other part of the state.

Mr. Oche, had however told reporters that a group hoisted the proscribed IPOB flag at Ekile in the council area on Sunday.

The council boss alleged that some politicians plotting to destabilise his administration instigated some people to hoist the IPOB flag in the area.

He also alleged that the group invaded a market at Ekile, beat up revenue collectors, claiming that the Nigerian Government and by extension, the council could no longer collect revenue from the market.

“They said the revenue from the market will be put into IPOB purse.

“When this happened, I sent policemen but they took advantage of the #EndSARS protest, beat up the officers and almost took away their guns but they managed to escape with their lives intact.

“I called on Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) – military operation, and they were able to make an arrest. I have visited the area and summoned a meeting of the elders of the area,’’ Mr. Oche had said.

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