Chief Patrick Eholor, Edo-born human rights defender and founder of One Love Foundation, has sent out a ‘Save Our Soul message, over alleged attempts by Edo-born billionaire, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion to intimidate him out of his landed property and arrest him.
Eholor also alleged that Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin kingdom had sent persons to physically attack him, a development which could have resulted in serious bodily harm, or death on his part.
In a petition addressed to the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 5, Benin City, with reference number TA/04/05/21/VOL.II, and dated 04/05/2021, Chief Eholor through his lawyers, T. A. AKAHOMEN ESQ, of T. A. Akahomen & Co, Notaries Public accused Chief Igbinedion of trying to use his political influence and financial muscle to push him out of the vast, choice land located at Obe, Benin City and take over the property.
“We write as solicitors to CHIEF PATRICK OSAGIE EHOLOR, also known as “Ultimate Equal”, the Founder and President, “One Love Foundation; a Non–Governmental Organization, who we shall refer to as our client in this petition.
“It is our instruction that our client is the owner in possession of a vast land situate at Obe Community in Benin City. On or about the 23rd day of April, 2021, following destruction on our client’s crops and property on the land by one Mr. FRIDAY, who claimed to be acting for an undisclosed person at that time; ISMAILA SULE MOHAMMED, an employee of our client made a report at Etete Police Division. Our client’s employee made an entry on the criminal acts of the said FRIDAY. One policewoman at Etete Division made a call to Friday to report and answer to the allegations against him”, T. A. Akahomen stated in the petition, on behalf of Chief Patrick Osagie.
Also speaking about the matter, Eholor alleged “They are boasting that they want to use thugs, they want to use police, they want to use soldiers to silence me. The world should be aware that if anything happens to me, Igbinedion should be held responsible.
‘His son in law, Osunde has a corruption case on his neck, where people lost over 23 billion to him. The EFCC arrested him, and the case is still there.
“There is also the case of his son, Lucky Igbinedion who was tried for corruption in Edo State.
“Igbinedion is not God. He has been sending non uniform police to my house, he has been sending some unknown soldiers to my house, as a matter of fact, he has been sending people to my children’s school to go and look for them. I am crying out so that the world will know that my life is at stake with Igbinedion over a piece of land.
“This is a man who have operated an airline, a man who has houses everywhere in the world, this is a man who is so blessed by God, but this man now wants to curse God. But he cannot curse God because God is almighty. God will fight for me.
“If I speak, I will die, if I don’t speak, I will die, so let the world know that Esama is threatening to kill me and my family”, Eholor said to journalists.
Attempts to speak with the Esama of Benin to get his own side of the story were unproductive, as he was said to be away in South Africa.
