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Cement company, BUA Group, has accused Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, of abuse of executive power by shutting it out of operation in one of its mining sites in the state and arresting two of the company’s staff.
A statement by the corporate department of the firm, Wednesday, said the workers were arrested during Mr. Obaseki’s visit to the site, located in Obu-Okpella.
BUA said the governor conducted “a gestapo-style forceful shutdown of that mine despite a subsisting court pronouncement that the Mine be allowed to operate”.
“Upon reaching that mining site and not meeting any personnel or equipment, two BUA Cement employees were invited to the mining site to receive the governor.
“We later learnt that these employees were arrested upon arrival on the orders of the governor and taken away for no just reason,” the statement said.
BUA said it is unaware why its two staff were being held, saying however that it has directed its lawyers to “secure their unconditional release immediately”.
The company said it has also ordered its lawyers “to return to court” as regards the shutting down of the premises, which, it says contravenes a court order for the status quo to be maintained.