Edo APC demands justice for Inspector Onuh, calls for arrest of killers

The Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to arrest those responsible for the murder of Inspector Akor Onuh, the former security detail of Governor Monday Okpebholo, on 18 July 2024, during the build-up to the 2023 governorship election in the state.

Inspector Onuh, who was attached to then-Senator Okpebholo as an APC governorship aspirant, was killed in a fracas that ensued between Okpebholo’s convoy and some suspected thugs along the Benin Airport Road, as Okpebholo and the then embattled Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, made their way to the city from Benin Airport.

Both the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the time and the APC traded blame, accusations, and counter-accusations regarding those believed to have been responsible for the shooting.

In a press statement issued in Benin on Friday, Edo APC State Chairman, Jarret Tenebe, bemoaned what he termed “a growing conspiracy of silence and protection” surrounding the killing of the police officer.

Tenebe stated that some of those suspected to have carried out the dastardly act were spotted at the Edo PDP stakeholders’ meeting held in Benin City on Thursday.

The Edo APC chieftain alerted security agencies that the suspected individuals were regrouping to cause another round of mayhem in the state and urged the security agencies to address the situation.

The text of the statement reads in part:

“The All Progressives Congress in Edo State is compelled to alert the nation and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to a growing conspiracy of silence and protection around the killers of Inspector Akor Onuh, the police orderly attached to our governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, who was gruesomely murdered on 18 July 2024, near Benin Airport.

“It is no coincidence that 15 individuals who attended the factional Edo PDP stakeholders’ meeting held on Thursday, 24 April 2025, where Dr Tony Aziegbemi was at his best making wild and unsubstantiated claims, are the very same faces linked to the brutal murder of Inspector Onuh.

“These individuals have now resurfaced, attempting to rebrand themselves as political stakeholders when they are, in fact, complicit in a crime that has shaken the conscience of Edo people.

“Since that tragic incident, they have been protected and shielded from justice. This deliberate obstruction of justice is not only a disservice to the memory of Inspector Onuh but also a clear and present threat to democracy and law enforcement in Edo State and Nigeria.

“The APC calls on the Inspector General of Police to immediately order the arrest of these individuals who are currently being harboured in the homes of top PDP leaders across the state. The Police must not allow political influence to override the rule of law. Those who killed Inspector Onuh must be brought to justice without further delay.

“We demand that the Nigeria Police rise above political interference and do the needful. Edo people are watching, Nigerians are watching, and the world is watching. Justice for Inspector Onuh is not negotiable. Anything short of swift and decisive action will amount to a betrayal of the oath to protect lives and uphold the law.”

The Edo APC Chairman threatened that “if the Police continue to fail in this regard, the APC in Edo State will explore all lawful avenues to ensure that justice is served. We owe it to the memory of Inspector Akor Onuh, his family, and the good people of Edo State to stand firm against this negligence by the Nigeria Police.”

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