A signal that the 2011 general elections could be deadly emerged last weekend, as a House of Representatives aspirant on the platform of the Action Congress (AC) was killed by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
Oghogho Omoregbe, who wanted to contest the Oriomhwon/Uhunwonde Federal Constituency in Edo State, was killed shortly after he declared his intention to contest in next year's general elections.
The 36 year old civil engineer and farmer was allegedly trailed to his rented apartment at Aitoe Idubor Avenue, off 2nd Ugbor Road, in Benin, at about 10pm. He was pursued to the back of the house where he was shot in the presence of his mother-in-law, by the gunmen who were said to have fled the place immediately.
Recounting her ordeal to journalists at the late Mr Omoregbe's wife's family house, at No 60, Awo Street, Stella Amadasun, the mother-in-law, said the late Oghogho, who just married his wife, Osato, last November, was still alive until they got to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where he was rushed to after they could not receive medical attention at the Central Hospital owing to the one-month-old strike of health workers in the state.
"He just came back from the campaign on Saturday; he came home for the first time and then left again, instructing his wife to prepare food for him," said Mrs Amadasun..
"He came with a boy and then they prayed together before he left again and told his wife that he would be back. This was around 9pm. Later that night, we heard the sound of a car and my daughter told me that it was her husband.
"Shortly after he opened the gate and was going back into his car to drive inside the compound, we heard him shout, Jesus, thief, then he ran into the other corner of the compound but he fell down when there was no escape route, then I ran to them and was begging that they should spare him, at least because of their one-month-old first child. Then I heard gunshots and they ran through the other side.
"I quickly ran to him and started shouting for help. He called for his parents before he passed out, then police was called. They were about five of them but we did not see their faces because it was dark."
Peter Ogboi, the state police spokesperson, said the state commissioner of police, Kachi Udeoji, has ordered that the homicide section of the police take over the case from Ugbor Police Station where the case was reported.
"As I talk to you, the commissioner of police has already directed that the case be taken over by the headquarters and the homicide department is already working and very soon, we will unravel the culprits. What we have done so far is to confirm the death."
On whether the killing was politically motivated, Ogboi said, "We cannot say that yet until the special session by the commissioner gives its report."
The late Oghogho Omorogbe, in a chat with journalists last Wednesday where he declared his intention to contest, attributed the rising rate of crime, including armed robbery and kidnapping, to the inability of elected political office holders to give right leadership to the people, accusing them of living in affluence amidst poverty.
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