Few hours to the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections, candidates of opposition parties in Kogi state have been prevented from entering the state.
As early as 10 am on Friday, Governor Yahaya Bello’s ADC, CSP Usman Shugaba led over 100 security personnel and some unidentified civilians to mount a road block at Banda village, along Lokoja-Abuja highway. The security personnel have been busy arresting and detaining personal securities attached to opposition party leaders.
A source in the entourage of senatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for Kogi Central, Barr. Natasha Akpoti disclosed that the plan of the governor is to plant arms in one of the cars and arrest the senatorial candidate.
He informed that Natasha and the senatorial candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye have been blocked from entering Kogi State.
“Let the whole world know that Yahaya Bello has declared war on our people in Kogi State,” he said.
A source from Melaye’s camp disclosed that the illegal roadblock was aimed at assassinating the vocal lawmaker.
He stated that key appointees of the state government are on ground to supervise the plot.
“As I speak, Barrister Natasha Akpoti, Senator Dino Melaye, Senator Ahmed Ogembe, a former governor of the state and a host of PDP leaders are held down between Koton Karfe and Lokoja by APC sponsored thugs.
“This is an election, not war and if anything happen to our leaders, we know who to hold.
“I can confirm to you that security details legally attached to former Governor Ibrahim Idris and member representing Okehi-Adavi in the House of Representatives, Honourable Kabiru Muhammed Ajanah have been withdrawn in Lokoja by the powers that be in the State,” he said.
Recounting her experience, a supporter of the senatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kogi East, Safiya Musa confirmed that Governor Bello’s ADC is supervising the roadblock on the Federal highway.
“So I passed serious stop and search check point mounted after Koton Karfe. My car was checked twice. Dunno why but suspect it’s because I am wearing a DVAA TShirt. They kept signaling themselves to check my car before I got to where Shugaba was and realized it’s Government House Team.
“Many men in various security outfits led by the Governor’s ADC himself. I had a little chat with the ADC after my chat with a dude wearing UNAMSIL uniform (wondered why and asked what’s he doing wearing a UNAMSIL uniform in 2019 on a Kogi Road in Nigeria. Dude was fidgeting).
“I suspect their main target is Dino Melaye. Saw Melaye’s convoy waiting at the Military check point in Abaji. Apparently he had gotten wind of their intentions. Dino, I wish you well my bro,” she narrated.
In a related development, the ADC senatorial candidate for Kogi East, Dr. Victor Adoji escaped a kidnap attempt at Agbeji in the early hours of Friday.
Thugs, numbering eight, waylaid one of his cars around Agbeji, abducting the driver in the process. Adoji was, however, not in the car.
According to a chieftain of ADC, Hassan Abdullahi; “Adoji’s guy was abducted today in a failed kidnap/assassination attempt at Agbeji. The gunmen, 8 of them with AK47 and Pump Action rifles, thought Dr. Victor Adoji was in his decoy car. The thugs were led by Ismaila Yakubu Omagba. The driver has been released with warning,” he said.
