Arrest, Remand Of Delta LG Chair After Brawl With State Commissioner Shrouded In Controversy

• As Activist Raises Posers 

Controversies have continued to trail the arrest and subsequent remand of the chairman of Patani Local Government Area, Mr. Perez Omoun who reportedly engaged the Commissioner of Power and Energy in Delta State, Hon. Basil Ganagana, in a public brawl.

BIGPENNGR.COM reports that following the attack in which some properties of Ganagana including eight exotic cars were reportedly damaged, the said Omoun who was arraigned, was remanded at the Ogwashi-Uku Correctional Centre by a Magistrate Court in Asaba till 30th of December 2020 pending the determination of his bail application and the issue of jurisdiction raised by the prosecutor, Mr. F. O. Itua.

Omoun was arraigned on a four count charge including the intent to cause grievous harm and unlawfully wounding one Mr. Ebikapade Tuesday, while trying to prevent him from attacking Rt. Hon. Basil Ganagana and members of his family last Sunday in Asaba, the state capital

According to the charge sheet which was read in court in the case between the Delta state Commissioner of Police and Mr. Perez Omoun, the council chairman was charged for maliciously damaging eight cars belonging to Hon. Ganagana, his family members and the Ministry of Energy valued at N199.9 million (One Hundred and Ninety-nine million, Nine Hundred Thousand naira).

A human right activist and public affair analyst, Zik Gbemre, who is querying the rationale behind the case, said that there is more to what the public already knew about the matter.

“Let me reiterate here that there are issues with this case that suggests there is more to it than what has happened”, he said.

While condemning act of violence and criminal act of vandalization, Gbemre said that he loathe injustice and oppression and would condemn any underground cover up in the case that appears to be shrouded with many posers and controversies.

He queried the possibility of the council chairman as a loner to have destroyed all the items recorded as damaged properties of the commissioner without being overpowered by security details of the commissioner.

“While I condemn any form of violence and criminal act, I also frown at any form of injustice and oppression by any person, no matter how highly placed, against another person. There are issues with this subject case that clearly does not make sense.

“For instance, is it possible for only one man, who is without a gun, invade the home of the said serving Commissioner that has some mobile police officers attached to him, and personally damaged property items as reportedly said by the Nigerian Police?

“I have not met or seen the said Mr. Perez Omoun, the Chairman of Patani LGA of Delta State, but I doubt if he is that giant and powerful as an individual to overpower the Security details of the said Commissioner to destroy his property.

“I can’t help but wonder how could just one man would have overpowered the armed police officers and personal aides attached to the serving Commissioner of Power & Energy, Hon. Ganagana, and then destroyed his property?

He also queried how the council chairman was stripped half naked like a common criminal and photograph with handcuffed in a case that was yet to find its jurisdiction talk less of being adjudicated upon.

“Though, there are pictures of damaged vehicles which they displayed in the said online reports of the said invasion. But how true is all of this? Was it not the same person they stripped naked with only underwear and handcuffed?

While calling on the relevant authorities to reexamine the case and possibly withdraw the matter for out of court settlement, Gbemre said; “The fact is that there appears to be a lot of unanswered questions concerning the whole subject matter.

“This becomes an issue, when we consider the fact that there are just too many injustices in Nigeria. Hence, I think something is behind all of this”, he noted.

He, therefore, called on the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the SSG, the CP of Delta State, the Chief Judge of Delta State and the Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice, to take a second look at the matter and address the apparent “foul play” in it.

“I therefore urge that it should be looked into again by the states Authorities and the Nigerian Police concerned, so that true justice can be seen to be served at the end of the day”, he added.