In a move that has sent shockwaves across the political landscape of Edo State, the Edo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Collins Aigbogun, the Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, over the rising wave of political violence in the state. 

The Commissioner of Police (CP), Nemi Edwin-Iwo, revealed that Aigbogun, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had been taken into custody and subsequently moved to Abuja by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) to answer to the charges against him. 

According to the CP, Aigbogun's arrest was a result of a petition filed by the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which had accused the council chairman of being involved in acts of political violence in the Illeh community.

Corroborating the reports, it was learnt that on Sunday, Aigbogun and his alleged thugs were involved in a brutal attack on some APC members in the Ebhuakhuala and Imule Illeh communities in Ekpoma. The victims, Thaddeus Imoisili Inegbedion and Alfred Onofua, were said to have been severely beaten, while the properties of Mrs. Dorothy Igbudu Arebun, Blessing Ebhodaghe, and Chief Lawrence Oigar, among others, were also reportedly destroyed.

Addressing the incident, the CP revealed that Aigbogun had been invited by the police and presented himself at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID). However, it was during this interaction that the authorities discovered the council chairman had other outstanding criminal charges against him.

"What happened was that he brutalised somebody in the course of an altercation between himself and other party members", the CP explained. "He was invited, and the DPO in the area brought him to the State CID, where it was discovered that he had other charges against him earlier than now."

The CP further stated that the operatives from the FCID in Abuja had identified Aigbogun as a wanted suspect and had subsequently taken him to the nation's capital for further investigation into the allegations against him.

Commenting on the police's readiness for the September 21st governorship election in Edo State, the CP warned non-state actors to steer clear of the electoral process, emphasising that the command was committed to creating an environment conducive for a free and fair exercise.

"We are going to create an environment where we will have a free and fair election. We shall work to ensure an enabling environment so that anybody can walk freely without any molestations or intimidations", the CP asserted.

As the political temperature in Edo State continues to rise, the arrest of the Esan West Council Chairman has undoubtedly sent signals to would-be perpetrators of violence in the state, and it will go a long way to reduce the already tense atmosphere. With the gubernatorial election just around the corner, the Edo State Police Command's swift action against Aigbogun serves as a clear warning that political violence will not be tolerated, and those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.