No mosque burnt in Edo – Oshiomhole

Vanguard

12 January 2012

No mosque burnt in Edo – Oshiomhole

BENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has described as misleading, media reports that five mosques were burnt during the protests over the withdrawal of fuel subsidy in the state and accused politicians of sponsoring crisis in the state.

Speaking to newsmen at Government House, Oshiomhole, who stated that the protests witnessed last Monday across the nation demonstrated “that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria,” said no single mosque or church was burnt contrary to reports in a newspaper (not Vanguard).

The governor who took newsmen round the streets of Benin, with a view to verifying that no mosque was burnt in the state, asserted that “going round the city today, you will find that the riotous elements have been put out. There are people in Edo State who have been out of office as a result of the manner they mismanaged the economy of the state over the years who want to hide under this to sponsor some miscreants to cause trouble.”

He alleged that the story was planted in the newspaper with the intention of creating fear in the minds of the ordinary citizens. He said the grievances of the protesters were about price of petroleum  products and not a religious battle.