Benin, Edo – A group, under the aegis of Edo Civil Society Coalition For Justice has called on commissioner of police, CP Betty Otimenyin to provide adequate security at the Benin Owena River Basin Authority (BORDA) office following recent protests over the appointment of Femi Adekanbi as managing director of the agency.

The group in a press briefing on Monday in Benin City, maintained that the protesters claiming to represent the interests of Edo communities were unaware of the true status of the agency hence they described Adekambi as a non indigene.

BENDEL Mirror recalled that host communities drawn from Obayantor II, Ekosa, Agbomwoba and Awanoba communities barricaded the entrance gate to the agency during a protest last week as they called for the sack of Adekambi over what they termed marginalization.

They protested that an indigenous managing director has never been appointed for the agency, 43 years after it was established by the federal government.

However, the group stated that, BORDA represents Edo, Delta, Ekiti and Ondo states, adding, Edo indigenes have occupied the position of managing director five times since the agency establishment, including it immediate passed managing director, Saliu Ahmed.

"It very important to educate the misdirected protesters and members of the public, who they wish to mislead, that Edo state has occupied the position of managing director on five occasions since the inception of the authority, more times than any other states the authority represents.

"It is also important to note that some of these managing directors have been of Benin extraction. Furthermore, it is also a fact that the immediate past managing director who completed 8-year tenure, was of Edo origin.

Therefore, the actions of these misguided protesters are in no way a clamour for equity, as their demands may also constitute a clear contravention of the federal character commission", coordinator of the group, comrade David King said during the briefing