A Germany-based Nigerian man, Mr. Godspower Uwagboe, has accused Mr. Edwin Idahosa, an elder brother to the current Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon. Denis Idahosa, of an alleged plot to eliminate him, whether in Nigeria or abroad.
Uwagboe, who hails from Benin, the state capital, also alleged that there are plots by the said Edwin to influence the state government to demolish his property, including houses in the state on allegations of being a cultist or kidnapper.
The plot, according to him, is to use the recently signed state’s anti-kidnapping and cultism law by Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebhole, to destroy his property and those of his family members in Benin City.
Speaking from his base in Germany on Friday, Uwagboe denied being a member of any secret cult or harbouring kidnappers in any of his property, stressing that the allegations levelled against him by Edwin Idahosa were false and baseless.
He appealed to Governor Monday Okpebhole not to allow Edwin Idahosa to use the state government’s anti-cultism and kidnapping campaign to wrongfully demolish property he had worked for all his life.
He stated that trouble started when Edwin Idahosa in 2024 falsely accused him of reportedly stealing his gold chains in Germany, an allegation, he claimed he had consistently refuted and denied.
Uwagboe disclosed that in an attempt to prove his innocence of the crime, he left his base in Germany to Nigeria, where he swore an oath at the palace of the Oba of Benin that he had no hand in the missing gold chains belonging to Edwin Idahosa.
“To prove my innocence, I came to Nigeria this year and we went to different places, including the Oba of Benin palace to swear oaths. I am not the one who stole his chains. Surprisingly, when I returned to Germany, he started accusing me that I was the one that stole the chains.
“He did some videos a few days ago that he was coming to kill me. He promised to get me down wherever I am. I have never been involved in fraudulent activity. I work hard for every penny I have. I am neither a cultist nor a kidnapper”, he added.
Also speaking, an uncle to Uwagboe, Mr. Charles Oke Aya-Ineh, alleged that Edwin, in a video posted on Facebook, reportedly vowed to go to any length to deal with his Godspower despite his innocence.
“Godspower Uwagboe has gone to several places to clear his name regarding the missing gold chains. Now, they are threatening him that they want to kill him and include his name in the wanted cultists or kidnappers to destroy his property. He is innocent of the allegations”, Oke Aya-Ineh.
On her part, the mother of Godspower Uwagboe, Mrs. Philomena Oke Aya-Ineh, described the allegations against her son as false and baseless, adding that the allegations were orchestrated just to destroy her son’s reputation, in order to instigate the government to demolish his houses in Benin.
According to her, Uwagboe, who is currently in Germany, is a struggling young man who is toiling day and night in the snow to make a living, but some envious people want to drag his name through the mud.
“I have come to let the whole world to know that Edwin Idahosa is threatening my son, he said he wants to kill my son in Germany, that he is going to give my son’s name and picture to his brother the Deputy Governor, to demolish my son’s house in Benin,” she alleged.
While efforts to get Mr. Edwin Idahosa’s reaction failed, Mr. Friday Aghedo, the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, urged the warring parties to sort themselves out between themselves alone.
“The woman should have faced the person she had a misunderstanding with, she does not have to bring the name of the Deputy Governor into it.
“The Deputy Governor is busy with his job, and I am not even sure he is aware of anything like that.
“Whoever she has issues with, they should sort themselves out, they don’t have to bring the Deputy Governor on the headline. Perhaps she should petition whoever she has issues with,” Aghedo said.
