Kogi Guber: Residents demand action against political violence

….call comes following APC supporter tragic killing

Late on Friday night, a large group of Kogi residents called upon President Bola Tinubu and Governor Yahaya Bello to take immediate steps to quell the violence allegedly carried out by supporters of the Social Democratic Party’s (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Muritala Yakubu.

They accused these individuals of being responsible for the brutal murder of an All Progressives Congress (APC) supporter in Kotonkarfe, as well as a series of recent violent incidents in the state.

The assembly of Kogi residents, numbering over 5000, united under the banner of the “Kogi for Kogites Movement,” representing members from all 21 Local Government Areas in the state.

In their statement, signed by Coordinator of Kogi for Kogites, Ahmed Ojonugwa, they presented non-partisan insights gleaned from eyewitnesses at the scene of the tragic incident.

Ojonugwa said, “We have been reliably informed that thugs loyal to the Governorship Candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, committed a sacrilege by gunning down a lady, identified to have decamped to the All Progressives Congress two weeks ago from the People’s Democratic Party.”

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The statement disclosed that SDP-affiliated thugs had allegedly attacked peacefully rallying APC supporters in Kotonkarfe on Friday.

The “Kogi for Kogites” statement emphasised a recurring pattern under Muritala Yakubu’s leadership within the SDP: the commitment of severe crimes followed by an attempt to portray themselves as the victims.

Regarding the incident, the statement further noted, “The sacrilegious act of the SDP supporters is condemnable, criminal, undemocratic, and should never be allowed to scale the hands of law.”

Eyewitness accounts and field surveys conducted on Friday suggested that trouble began when SDP supporters spotted a large gathering of APC supporters engaged in a peaceful solidarity march in support of Usman Ododo, the APC’s gubernatorial candidate.

Allegedly, armed SDP thugs resorted to firing shots to disperse the APC supporters, ultimately leading to the tragic death of an APC supporter, reportedly at the hands of one Haruna Abacha, an SDP supporter.

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The Kogi for Kogites Movement strongly denounced the actions of the SDP supporters and issued a firm call to Governor Bello and President Tinubu to promptly intervene and admonish these politicians.

They also demanded the identification and prosecution of the individuals responsible for the violence.

In reference to the situation in Kogi, the statement warned, “If things go on this way, true sons and daughters of Kogi State would have no choice but to drag the SDP and its candidate to the highest courts of the land for this evil attempt to drag Kogi State back to the dark days.”

The statement called upon law enforcement agencies to apprehend Haruna Abacha and all his associates while initiating an inquiry into the conduct of security agents attached to the SDP candidate, questioning their alleged failure to prevent the outbreak of violence.