Governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has reportedly influenced the removal of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Ali Janga and two of his senior officers; Deputy Commissioners of Police, Muhammed Ahmad Barde and Monday Bala Kuriyas.
Investigations revealed that the chiefs proved difficult to control and had repeatedly insisted on upholding the integrity and sanctity of the police force especially as it affects the protection of human lives and property.
It was gathered that the governor was furious and frustrated by their position. He was furthered irked by the fact that the Police chief, out of good will, had organized a Peace Pact on the 21st of December 2018 to broker peace among warring political stakeholders to ensure a tranquil election free of violence, where justice and fairness will reign, especially in Kogi Central District.
A gentleman present at the occasion, who spoke under condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the SDP senatorial candidate for Kogi State Central District, Barr. Natasha Akpoti, used the opportunity to request the Police Chiefs to uphold the Rule of Law and address petitions fairly for no one and party was above the law.
According to him, Natasha also aired her displeasure at the actions of the Administrator of Okehi local government, Abdulrahim Ohiare and his Adavi counterpart, Joseph Omuya Salami, who were also present at the meeting. She accused the two Administrators of grooming militia under the name “Bakassi Boys” and had repeatedly equipped and instructed APC political thugs to disrupt her ward meetings, intimidate and harass her supporters and destroyed her campaign paraphernalia.
She lampooned them for being insensitive to other people’s pain and sincerity of purpose of governance as Chief Executive Officers of the LGAs.
PDP spokesmen also minced no words in demanding for respect of the constitutional rights of all political parties and accused APC of engineering thuggery back into Ebiraland.
Okene Sole Administrator, Abdulrazzaq Mohammed, surprisingly mentioned that the only way peace could be maintained was if every indigene of Ebiraland agreed to work with the governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
However, the Sole Administrator of Ogori Magongo, Peter Goke Oparason, tendered sincere apologies to Barr. Akpoti stressing the fact that Ogori-Magongo indigenes were peaceful and were pained by the violence in Ebiraland. He promised to stand by peace.
In furtherance of the set goal, the Commissioner of Police requested a Peace Pact be entered into by all Political Parties on the 24th of December 2018. However, on the 24th of December 2018 as earlier agreed upon, all the parties including the People Democratic Party (PDP), Alliance for Democratic Congress (ADC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) reported at the Police Headquarters in Lokoja only to meet the rude and conspicuous absence of All Progressive Congress (APC).
It was later revealed that the governor had ordered the party leadership not to appear for any peace deals or talks.
On contacting key personnel at the Police Headquarters, it was gathered that the Commissioner of Police Ali Janga was transferred to Bauchi. While the two deputy commissioners of police had also being transferred out of the state. This scenario could not be unconnected to the strong emergence of Barrister Natasha Akpoti, who is contesting for the Senatorial seat under the platform of the SDP to represent Kogi central senatorial district, home to the governor, against the governor’s anointed candidate, Oseni of the APC.
It is said that the barrister is quite popular amongst the people of Kogi central and posing as a threat to the governor’s ego.
A participant at the Peace Pact meeting urged the people of Kogi state to stand against being used as instruments to foment violence, especially the peace loving people of Kogi central.
