End Bad Governance Protest: Security Agents Intensify Search For Fleeing Delta Assembly Staff

By Braxton Ilobah

Despite the fact that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has recently ordered the immediate release of some under-aged Nigerians arrested and charged to court for treason with respect to the August 1 – 10, 2024 ten-day protest, Nigerian security agents are still searching for the suspected sponsors/organisers of the protest one of whom is Mr. Godspower Ikechukwu Ajabor. Until the protest, he was an official of the Delta State House of Assembly, Asaba.

The release of the under-aged was due to pressure on President Tinubu’s government from many concerned Nigerians particularly the civil society organizations. However, many adults arrested by security agencies in connection with the protest are still in custody awaiting trial for treason.

Some days after the protest, ATLANTICNEWSONLINE security sources had hinted that some officials of government in various non-APC controlled states of the federation were covertly involved in planning the protest which was intended to destabilize the All Progressive Congress (APC) led federal government. This act is perceived as treasonable offence which the state security officials are clandestinely working out to unmask the sponsors and promoters.

One of the fingered government officials who was suspected to have collaborated with the yet to be identified organisers is Mr. Ajabor of Delta State House of Assembly, Asaba whose whereabouts since the incident remains unknown as he was alleged to have abandoned his job and went into hiding.

However, earlier information from an anonymous source close to his family said he traveled out of Nigeria on a church related programme days before the commencement of the protest. Another source close to his family, revealed that Ajabor had strong anti-Tinubu tendencies in the days preceding the 2023 presidential election.

He was said to be a “loud opponent” to anything that has to do with Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom, he had openly accused of foisting former President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC on Nigerians “for eight destructive years.”

ATLANTICNEWSONLINE further gathered that as a member of the “Sheriffied” campaign group for Sheriff Oborevwori for Delta State governorship and supporter of Labour Party’s Peter Obi Presidential bid during the campaign for the 2023 election, Ajabor worked assiduously to ensure that Tinubu did not get appreciable votes in Delta State. He had collaborated with other anti-Tinubu campaigners and eventually, APC did not win any substantial votes in Delta.

Ajabor’s open opposition to Tinubu prior to the 2023 election and his subsequent activities may have given security agents grounds to suspect that he covertly contributed to the #End Bad Governance protest. It is seriously suspected that the officials of the Department of State Service (DSS) have found a strong incriminating evidence that links him to the planning and execution of the protest which was largely believed by security agents as an attempt to oust President Tinubu from power, hence it is considered treasonable. Treasonable offences in Nigeria are serious crimes that go with heavy punishment for anyone charged, tried and convicted of committing same.

Effort by our correspondent to confirm from the Delta State House of Assembly where Ajabor was working, if he had officially resigned or dismissed for absconding from duty for months, did not prove successful as those spoken to, declined comment. Only one member of staff could direct our correspondent to the spokesman of the Assembly Service Commission, who incidentally could not be reached on several attempts.

Meanwhile, a security source hinted that all those suspected to have played some role in the treasonable act may soon be officially declared wanted by the federal government with their photographs circulated in the media and other public spaces. “Godwspower Ikechukwu Ajabor may be one of them” he intimated.