Kogiflame
Ahead of Kogi Governorship election, the security operatives on Tuesday morning killed three persons suspected to be political thugs during a gun duel with security agents.
The Kogi State Police Command Public Relation Officer, SP William Aya who confirmed this in a statement said two of the thugs were also arrested while seven of them sustained varying degrees of injury.
Speaking further, SP Ayah said the gun duel ensued when security agents were carrying out a search on a building where “political thugs are being housed by Political Parties.”
He said the search on the building became necessary based on ” series of credible Intelligence on the repeated/recurring incidences of violence in Kogi East Senatorial District which recently led to an attack on a Police Team and disarming and snatching of one AK-47 Rifle from one Policeman, early this morning, Tuesday 07/11/2023″ .
He said the Special Operation was carried out iby the Nigeria Police, Department of State Security and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) .
“During the Cordon and Search Operation, the Team, even after identifying themselves came under serious gun fire and in response three of the Political Thugs were gunned down and Two AK–47 Rifles recovered while two members of the Team sustained gunshot injuries and seven suspects arrested.
As part of efforts to ensure a violent-free during the governorship election holding on November 11 in the state, Aya said raids on suspected criminal/thugs hideouts will be sustained to deny them safe heavens to operate.
“The ongoing operation will be sustained until after the Election, please,” he affirmed.
He stated further that Two AK-47 Rifles were recovered from the suspects.
Meanwhile, the Kogi Governorship Campaign Council of the All Progressive Congress (APC) said they welcome every effort at ensuring a peaceful poll on November 11, 2023.
The Director General of Media and Publicity for the campaign council, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo in a statement issued on Tuesday stated that election is for the electorate to determine who leads the state from January 27, 2024 and therefore shouldn’t be a reason for insecurity in the state.
“However, we express deep concerns regarding the needless raid on the residences of some of our chieftains in Kogi East. We hold the hope that they are not specifically targeted ahead of the election.
“We hereby call on security agencies to act professionally, fairly and with the patriotic intent to maintain law and order before, during and after the election,” the statement noted.
Meanwhile, the Inspector general of police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has has warned trouble makers to relocate from Kogi state before Saturday election.
He also warned politicians and the electorates to allow the them and other security agencies deployed to the state do their jobs without being subjected to blackmail.
The IG was speaking on Tuesday in Lokoja at the statekeholders meeting organised by the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, Kogi State.
Egbetokun represented by the Kogi State Police Commissioner, CP Bertrend Onuoha also urged the politicians to play the game according to the rules already paid down by the Constitution to avoid heat up the polity before, during and after the election.
He lamented the way the police and other Security agencies were being blackmailed in the course of doing their constitutional duty of ensuring free and fair electioneeing processes.
He however said that “no amount of blackmail will stop us from performing constitutional duties of ensuring that the the election is conducted in a peaceful atmosphere”.
He warned would be trouble makers to have a rethink or even relocate especially during the election from the state as the it will be too unpleasant for them.
“Election will come and go,but we will still be living together as neighbours, brothers, sisters and families, how will that be possible if you have created tension among yourselves because of an election”.
Also speaking the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu said the commission is fully ready for the election.
Professor Mahmood who was represented by National Commissioner Supervising Kogi Kwara and Niger states, Professor Sani Mohammed Adam SAN noted that sensitive and non sensitive materials are on ground.
He noted they will make sure that the coming election in the state is conducted without any problem
Earlier,the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Gabriel Longpet had outlined the preparedness of the commission towards the November 11 Governoship election.
He said every machineries have been set in motion,such as the training of Ad-hoc staff, while the non sensitive materials have started arriving since Monday and being kept safe until distribution to Registration areas, RAC centers across the state.
He said that the commission has received assurances from all the Security agencies to make the state safe for a free and fair Election.
