The criminal charges preferred against the Secretary of the Benin Traditional Council (BTC), Frank Irabor, and six other palace officials by the Edo State Government have been withdrawn ahead of the September 21 governorship election. 

The move, it was gathered, was to douse the tension between Governor Godwin Obaseki and Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II.

Suing Irabor and others followed the August 2022 demolition of illegal property at Ulegun village in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo.

Obaseki’s administration, in August 2022, slammed a 29-count charge against Irabor and the other officials of the palace of the first-class monarch over the demolition of the disputed property. 

The defendants were subsequently remanded in the custody of the correctional centre in Benin by Justice Mary Itsueli of Edo High Court in the state capital.

Edo Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Orobosa Okunbor, at the resumed hearing of the suit, applied to withdraw the case. 

Okunbor told the presiding judge that discontinuing the suit was to ensure peace and reconciliation, an initiative of Edo Government, which he said had paid adequate compensation to the persons, whose livelihoods were impacted by the demolition.

Discontinuing the suit was after Irabor and other defendants in the suit, who were led in evidence by their counsel, Olawola Afolabi, SAN, and Okuns Aihie, had pleaded not guilty to the 29-count charge that were read to them in the court.

Irabor, in his reaction on behalf of the defendants, thanked Edo Government and Obaseki for deeming it fit to withdraw the case.

The secretary of BTC described Edo Governor’s intervention as a step in the right direction towards ensuring peace and reconciliation in Benin Kingdom’s Edo South Senatorial District, and other parts of the state.

Obaseki and Oba of Benin have been at loggerheads over the looted artefact returned from Europe to the palace of the foremost traditional ruler.