Kogi: Political Thugs Allegedly Loyal to Gov. Bello Invade Senator Ogembe’s Empowerment Event

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Hoodlums today invaded the venue of the  empowerment programme, organised by Senator Ahmed Ogembe  for women in Okene, Kogi state.

The Afims Hotel venue was already filled up by guests, party members and the would-be-beneficiaries of the empowerment programme, when the hoodlums came calling, wielding dangerous weapons, attacking  people and disrupting the seating arrangement for the event.

The few security men at the hotel were said to have been overwhelmed by the thugs, who scattered tables and chairs and triggered a bedlam.

The thugs said to be armed with dangerous weapons searched frantically for Ogembe who is representing Kogi Central Senatorial district but could not lay hands on him.

 

Security operatives reportedly intercepted an ash coloured Toyota vehicle with APC sticker. Occupants were allegedly armed with various weapons, stones and catapults. They barricaded the Iruvicheba-Agasa junction in Okene.

An eye witness told Kogireports that the thugs are well known supporters of Governor Yahaya Bello. The witness said the thugs were led by Kenny Agidigbo, Segene, Ohendi, Agomi, KeinKein and Okadigbo. He said one of them, KeinKein attacked the women and broke their legs.

 

Ogembe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was said to be a few meters away from the hotel when the thugs came.

 

The thugs later fled the hotel in different directions to escape arrest.

 

However, many guests, some political associates of Ogembe and  beneficiaries of the empowerment programme were injured during the bedlam.

 

Ogembe who later showed up at the venue ordered that the injured be taken to hospital for treatment and appealed to the remaining people at the venue to remain calm.

 

The Senator, after due consultation with his party members announced that the ceremony must hold.

 

Addressing journalists, Ogembe said that the incident had been reported to the police.

Ogembe condemned the action of the Administrator of Okene, Hon. Muhammad Abdulrazaq who he alleged had earlier issued two unfortunate statements to create the impression that the program would not hold and went on to mobilise thugs with weapons to disrupt the program.
According to a press release from the Senator’s office, his supporters were able to manage the situation by warding off the thugs and maintaining law and order.
“We condemn this show of shame and attempt to launch the area into a war zone just for the sake of instilling fear into our people ahead of next election,” the statement read.
The senator visited the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alh (Dr) Ado Ibrahim earlier today to intimate him of his intention to empower women of his constituency to start a small scale business to make them self reliant.
Responding, the monarch welcomed the Senator with excitement and thanked him for his kind gesture urging him  to ignore the activities of the hoodlums while leveraging on the available means within the ambit of the law to empower his people, who are mostly in need.

Attempts made to get the police to comment on the incident proved abortive as calls made to the telephone line of the state police command spokesman, ASP William Aya were not answered.

 

One thousand and two hundred  women from five local governments of Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Ajaokuta and Ogori -Magongo, making up the senatorial district were selected to benefit from the programme.

 

Senator Ogembe gave each  woman  N20,000 to start a  business.

 

The Senator explained that the gesture was a follow up to an earlier one during which tricycles, motorcycles, grinding machines, generators, sewing machines and other valuable items were given to 1,000 people.

 

He said that he had also  sunk 35 motorized boreholes,  fitted with overhead tanks in the five local government areas in the district.

 

The senator urged the beneficiaries and communities where the projects were sited to make the best use of them.


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