Edo State Government yesterday said the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has no constitutional power to suspend the Edo Security Corps, as it was a creation of the Edo State House of Assembly.

The IGP had at the INEC stakeholders? meeting announced that the outfit had been suspended ahead of the September 21 governorship election.

But, in a statement, Obaseki?s media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, said, ?The Edo State government insists that the ESC is a body set up by law passed by the Edo State House of Assembly.

?This is tantamount to the IGP disbanding the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Operation Amotekun, ahead of the governorship election in Ondo State billed for next month.?

Osagie added that in the interest of peace in the state, Obaseki had directed that all the officials of the ESC should proceed on leave from today till September 23, after the election.

?Government notes that it is unconstitutional for the IGP to make such a declaration since Section 11 (1), Section 11 (2) empower the State House of Assembly to set up structures for public safety and security of the state.?