Edo guber: Two arrested in foiled ‘assassination plot’ on Mercy Johnson’s husband

Security operatives have thwarted an alleged assassination attempt on Odianosen Okojie, husband of actress Mercy Johnson.

Okojie, the federal lawmaker representing the Esan North-East/Esan South-East constituency in Edo, was said to have been attacked by armed men suspected to be political thugs at his residence in Uromi on Friday morning.

The attackers were said to have invaded the lawmaker’s residence with a Lexus GX 470 carrying a Rivers state vehicle registration number.

In a statement on Friday, Michael Ihaza, the media aide to Okojie, said the armed thugs disguised as police officers and “claimed to be on appointment”.

Ihaza added that the planned assassination “was unsuccessful owing to the intervention of security personnel attached to the lawmaker”. He said two of the suspects were arrested while others fled.

“We wish to put on record, the assassination attempt on the Member representing Esan North East/Esan South East Federal Constituency and Edo Central Coordinator of the Edo APC Governorship Campaign Council, Hon. Prince Henry Odianosen Okojie, which took place in his residence at Uromi, the administrative headquarter of Esan North East Local Government in the early hours of this morning, the 20th day of September 2024,” the statement reads in part.

“The attack carried out by armed thugs with a Lexus GX 470 carrying a Rivers State vehicle registration number – PHC 253 FF, was unsuccessfully owing to the intervention of security personnel attached to the Lawmaker.

“The armed thugs who disguised as police officers along with two others, invaded the residence of Hon. Okojie, claimed to be on appointment and proceeded to the seating room.

“Following the intervention of the security personnel attached to the lawmaker, two of the armed thugs fled leaving behind the driver and another who are currently been interrogated by officers from the Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Uromi.”

The Edo gubernatorial election is scheduled for September 21 across 18 LGAs in the state.

Asue Ighodalo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) are the three major contenders for the governorship seat.