By Ahmed Suleiman (MAS).
The National Leader of the Ukomu Igala Organisation, the apex socio-cultural body of the Igala ethnic nationality, Major General Dr. James Alilu Ataguba (Rtd), has cautioned political thugs against participating in electoral violence, declaring that no promise of political protection will shield offenders from prosecution.
Ataguba issued the warning on Saturday while addressing delegates at the 2026 Igala Youth Leaders Assembly (IYLA) Delegate Conference held at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja.
Speaking to a gathering of delegates drawn from across the nine Local Government Areas of Kogi East, the retired senior military officer urged youths and other individuals recruited to snatch ballot boxes, intimidate voters, or disrupt polls to reconsider their actions, noting that the legal consequences would outlive both the elections and their political sponsors.
“Even if they promised you political cover, the long arms of the law will still catch up with you,” Ataguba warned.
He observed that politicians who bankroll violence routinely abandon their foot soldiers once polls are concluded, leaving them to face arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment alone while their sponsors enjoy the dividends of office.
The Ukomu Igala leader called on young people to reject financial inducements and resist being used as instruments of destabilisation, urging them instead to channel their energy into peaceful civic engagement, voter education, and the promotion of credible leadership.
Ataguba further tasked security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with ensuring that perpetrators of electoral offences are prosecuted regardless of their political connections, describing impunity as one of the gravest threats to Nigeria’s democratic consolidation.
He maintained that credible elections remain achievable only when citizens refuse to succumb to intimidation, political actors adhere strictly to electoral rules, and the law is enforced without fear or favour.
The conference convened delegates from the nine local government areas of Kogi East to deliberate on leadership development, youth inclusion, and peaceful democratic participation ahead of upcoming elections.
