Christiana Ekpa
Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Onuoha, has ordered a thorough investigation of an alleged attack on the campaign rally of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Koton-Karfe, Kogi Local Government Area.
This was contained in a statement by the state command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP William Ovye Aya during the weekend.
He noted that the command received a report of alleged attack on the SDP campaign at Koton-Karfe where some persons were said to have been injured in the process.
The CP, according to Aya, further directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, to commence a thorough and diligent investigation of all acts of political violence, accusations and counter-accusations on all the political parties and actors with a view to bringing all offenders to book.
The statement reads: “The CP assures of the Command’s unwavering commitment to the protection of all lives and property in the State. These instances of violence are attributed to the failure of most of the political actors to honour invitations and partake in series of stakeholders parleys/interactions where issues bordering on security and the need to conduct political activities as enshrined in the Electoral Act are discussed.
“While chairmen and candidates of the other political parties have continued to honour police invitations to discuss petitions and/or allegations with the Police,and other salient issues germane to peaceful campaigns, and that of the INTER-AGENCY CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE ON ELECTION SECURITY (ICCES), be it emphasised here that several invitations extended to the SDP and ADC candidates for interaction and consultation with the Police to shed light, provide explanations and give their own side of the story on petitions written against them but to no avail.
“While these other parties have been carrying the Police along in their activities, the SDP candidate has consistently and vehemently refused to honour any of Police invitations for investigation, or inform the Commissioner of Police nor the Command while embarking on political rallies to enable the Police provide adequate security coverage.”
The statement sternly warned all the political parties in Kogi State and their supporters to play by the rules and stop heating up the State.
He also admonished Kogites to desist from all forms of violence as anyone caught disrupting the prevailing peaceful environment in the State will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
He appealed to the political actors to give peace a chance by conducting themselves in peaceful manner and shunning all acts capable of truncating the peace, tranquility and unity of Kogi State.
