By NEFISHETU YAKUBU

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, has said that the state government had deployed security personnel in court to contain attacks on judges and lawyers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Benin High Court will on July 15 resume hearing in the case between the Oba of Benin and some suspended Enigie (Dukes).

At the last hearing on May 9, over 100 priests, priestesses and palace chiefs stormed the court chanting curses against the enemies of the Oba.

Addressing newsmen on Sunday in Benin, Nehikhare alleged that opposition parties were using the social media to incite and sponsored some persons to disrupt the operations of the court on July 15.

Nehikhare noted that security agencies had been put on alert to ensure that the Benin high court proceedings went on without disturbances

“I just want to reiterate the issues on the social media platforms where people are sharing stories and messages on how to fight Edo people.

“How to go and besiege our courts, how to intimidate the judges, and generally cause chaos within our society.

“Edo State Government takes this issue very, very seriously, that all arms of government must be allowed to perform their duties.

“We will not tolerate or allow any groups of persons or individuals to constitute themselves into a nuisance by attacking lawyers or judges who are performing their constitutional duties.

“We are reiterating this because of the seriousness that we placed on this kind of behavior. Edo government wants to let the people know that it will not tolerate this.

“Tomorrow, is July 15, 2024, we expect everybody to go about their normal businesses.

”And we will not allow or tolerate hoodlums in any guise to gather, to march towards the courts or behind the court’s houses intimidating judges or lawyers,” he said.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Gov. Godwin Obaseki on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie called on parents to protect their children from being exploited for political gains.

Osagie noted that the security agencies would not fail to arrest any individual or group found to be involved in activities that undermined public peace.

“I like to stress that we have it on good authority that the so-called protest against the judiciary, judges and lawyers scheduled for tomorrow is being sponsored by politicians,” Osagie said.

According to him, the state government was doing everything within its power to ameliorate the sufferings of Edo people due to high cost of living.

Osagie called on Edo people at home and in diaspora to vote for the PDP in the governorship election come September 21. (NAN)

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