Violence: Don’t be biased in your investigation, Kogi SDP tells CP

…Expresses lack of confidence in his panel

The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Bertrand Onuoha has been accused of being complacent in investigating the political rift between the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.

Addressing journalists at a media conference in Lokoja, the Kogi East Director General of the Campaign Council of the SDP’s governorship candidate, Hassan Enape said the Police Commissioner’s statement on the unrest at Koton Karfe was full of contradictions.

“The Commissioner of Police in his recent statement signed by the Police Public Relation Officer, William Aya said he has set up an investigating panel to get to the root cause of the political fight between the APC and our party, but again, went ahead in the statement to indict our governorship candidate, Muritala Ajaka as the conveyor of crises; he also accused him of moving about with thugs.

“This statement by the CP has clearly exposed him as being biased even before the investigative panel commences its job. We want to categorically state that we have no confidence in the so-called panel constituted by the police commissioner,” Enape said.

Read also: Police accuse Kogi SDP candidate of undermining security efforts after killing of APC supporter

He called on the Inspector General of Police to disband the Bertrand-constituted panel and set up his own independent investigative panel. Enape posited that a true investigation of the Koton Karfe political upheaval would expose the true conveyors of crises and their collaborators.

He, however, clarified that the SDP governorship candidate has zero tolerance for thuggery and has no hand in the crises that took place at Koton Karfe.

While reacting to the claim that the SDP did not get police permission for the Koton Karfe rally, Enape said the campaign council had earlier sought the permission of the Police and DSS through a letter, which was granted by the two security agencies.

Presenting the copy of the approved letter, he said: “Here is the copy of the letter we sent to the Police and DSS and they endorsed it and granted us, we will make copies available to you all.

Read also: Kogi APC calls for justice for slain supporter, accuses SDP of lies

He said: “We wish to state categorically that it is not true that the Commissioner of Police and other relevant authorities in the state were not aware of the SDP rally in Koton Karfe on that fateful day.

“What is true is that the APC ambushed the good people of Koton-Karfe to cause panic and deter their resolve for the candidacy of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka. This they failed to achieve because, after the attacks and destruction, the people still came out to receive Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, confirming their support for him.

“On the sad issue of Koton Karfe, the SDP and her supporters were peaceful, uncompromising, and law-abiding but were wickedly attacked by thugs working for the APC.

“There is video evidence of the peaceful gathering of SDP supporters before the APC thugs invaded the venue with guns and machetes, destroying the venue, injuring our supporters, and shooting sporadically at our convoy. Contrary to the position of Mr Fanwo and the APC, it was our supporters that were attacked.

“It is already evident that the APC unleashed terror on the peace-loving people of Koton Karfe because of their love for Murtala Yakubu Ajaka. The unanswered question is what is an APC supporter doing in an SDP rally?”