Chief of Staff to governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Hon Patrick Obahiagbon, yesterday narrowly escaped being physically hurt after some angry protesters declared war on him.

They staged a peaceful protest along major streets against the state government and called on the governor to reverse the implementation of the Land Use Charges, planned increment of tuition fees of tertiary institution and multiple taxation, among others.

Security agents made up of men of the Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Services, DSS, were on ground to ensure that it was not hijacked by hoodlums when the protest began at about 9am from Freedom House along Akpakpava Street.

The protesters, who were seen displaying placards bearing different inscriptions such as, “No to Impunity, No to Reckless Spending of Tax Payers Money, No to arbitrary increase of school fess and No to sub-standard educational system,’ called on the governor to rescind his decision before it was too late.
The Chief of Staff to the governor, Hon Patrick Obahiagbon who was on ground to receive the protesters got more than he bargained for as some youths threw objects at him, insisting that the governor must address them.

The timely intervention of security agents, however, saved the youths from inflicting physical injuries on the former lawmaker.

Addressing newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ secretariat, a social commentator and Human right crusader, Rev Olu Martin, said they had to embark on the protest march because of the hardship occasioned by the alleged double taxation and land use charges introduced by the Oshiomhole government.

He said: “We have used every avenue to tell the governor; when we voted him into office in November 2008, there were promissory notes that made thousands of youths support him and by the definition of democracy by Abraham Lincoln, it was apt then.

“At the beginning, we saw some attempt by the governor to ameliorate the plight of the people. In the past when the governor was going on inspection of projects, people will abandon their wares without even locking their shops. Nobody remembers now how you came in but how you left. It appears the government has turned its ears against the people; all our cries and lamentation have been met with propaganda by government and all we hear is that we are being sponsored.”