Police, INEC Order Investigation Into Attack on Kogi REC

Kogi State police command has ordered a thorough investigation into the attack on the residence of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Hale Gabriel Longpet in Lokoja.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Lokoja on Friday, signed by the state police command’s police public relations officer, SP William Aya.

In the statement, the commissioner of police in the state, Bethrand Onuoha, condemned the attack on the REC and tasked the deputy commissioner of police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to commence investigation immediately.

The police guards on duty at the residence reportedly engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel and denied them access to the premises.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for the immediate arrest of the Social Democratic Party ( SDP) candidate in the November 11 gubernatorial election, Muritala Ajaka, over the  attack.

The spokesman of the party’s campaign organisation, Evangelist Kingsley Fanwo, said the action of the SDP candidate was capable of sliding the state into anarchy if not curtailed.

He alleged that the SDP candidate and his supporters masterminded the attack on the residence of the REC in the state in the early hours of Friday.

He alleged that the SDP was attempting to corrupt certain documents in INEC before handing them to their legal team.

However, the Director of New Media Communication of the Muri/Sam Campaign Organisation, Isaiah Ijele, described the allegation against the party and its governorship candidate as false.

He said the party or its flag-bearer in the just concluded gubernatorial election had no reason to organise hoodlums to attack INEC office or the REC.

Similarly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for a thorough investigation and enhanced security protection for its personnel and assets in Kogi State.

The chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, Mr Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, made the demand on Friday in a statement.