Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has challenged the Inspector General (IG) of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun to name and shame the perpetrators of the politically motivated violence and killings in Kogi State, irrespective of their status in the society.
HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, expressed worries that the trend of violence before and during elections in Kogi State was a disturbing trend recycled at every election.
The group warned that the IG must put in deliberate efforts and necessary security measures to forestall any recurrence of politically motivated attacks and killings synonymous with Kogi, especially in the forthcoming November 2023 governorship poll.
Onwubiko, while addressing journalists in Abuja, observed that violence had resumed in full scale in Kogi as Governor Yahaya Bello’s two-term tenure of eight years ends in November.
While noting that Bello’s nephew and former Auditor General of Local Government in Kogi State, Usman Ododo, who emerged as candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), would be slugging it out with other governorship candidates, stated that hoodlums on Sunday, invaded the campaign office of the Social Democratic Party (SDP’s) governorship candidate, Murtala Ajaka and vandalised the complex, pulled down a big billboard and set it on fire.
Onwubiko recalled also that Ajaka’s motorcade was earlier in June attacked by gunmen, with his campaign vehicles vandalised and some of his followers injured.
The group also added that in the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections in Kogi, there were reports of thugs attacking polling units in Anyigba and Dekina in the Kogi East and Mopa in the Kogi West as well as parts of Kogi Central, where voting materials were carted away by the thugs.
“The string of politically motivated attacks and killings in Kogi State is disturbing, especially in the last eight years of the Governor Yahaya Bello administration.
“IGP Kayode Egbetokun should carry out a comprehensive investigation of all the killings of political dimension in Kogi State with the view to naming, arresting and prosecuting the suspects and their sponsors no matter how highly placed.
“The police should also put in efforts to stop political violence that may mar the November governorship election in the state. Thugs must not be allowed to intimidate voters from exercising their franchise thereby allowing the powers that be foist and rig the election for their candidate,” he said.
