From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
…Kogi Govt Condemns Attack on Okehi Local Govt Secretariat
Mr Kingsley Fanwo, Commissioner for Information and Communications
The Kogi state Command of the Nigeria Police Force has confirmed an explosion that rocked the administrative office of Okehi Local Government Area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Aya, told our Correspondent on Tuesday that the explosion occurred on Monday evening.
Also confirming the explosion, the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omadara, said that the incident had been traced to saboteurs who wanted to cause panic during the election to prevent people from coming out to vote.
It was gathered that unknown gunmen had stormed the secretariat around 5pm on Monday and planted the explosion that ripped through the administrative block of the secretariat.
However, Aya said officers had been deployed to the area to ascertain the extent of damages.
He said that adequate security personnel have been deployed to the area while normalcy has since been restored to the area.
Meanwhile, the state government has condemned the explosion, saying that the security agencies have been charged to unravel the masterminds of the attack.
According to the state government, preliminary findings have shown that no casualty was recorded as a result of the proactive measures anchored on the state’s iron-cast security architecture.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications in the state, Kingsley Fanwo, on Tuesday said government was on top of the situation and had immediately put in place further measures to keep the people safe before, during and after the elections.
“This is our responsibility to all Kogites irrespective of their political affiliations. Those behind this would be fished out and severely dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others in their league,” the state government said.
Fanwo called on residents of Okehi Local Government Area and indeed the entire Kogi Central Senatorial District to remain calm, while urging parents to properly guide their wards against being used as political thugs in the forthcoming elections.
“Government will be unsparingly decisive in dealing with issues of political thuggery before, during and after the elections,” he stressed.
The statement read, “The Kogi State Government condemns in the strongest of terms, the attack in Okehi Local Government Area that affected a section of the Okehi Local Government Secretariat Complex. It is an act of cowardice that will continue to fail in the attempt by enemies of the people to compromise the peace and security we enjoy in Kogi State.
“We wish to call on residents of Okehi Local Government Area and indeed the entire Kogi Central Senatorial District to remain calm as Government is on top of the situation and further measures have been immediately deployed to keep them safe before, during and after the elections. This is our responsibility to all Kogites irrespective of their political affiliations. Those behind this will be fished out and severely dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others in their league.
“Preliminary findings have shown that no casualty was recorded as a result of the proactive measures anchored on our iron-cast security architecture. Security agencies have been charged to unravel the masterminds of the attack and we assure our people that those behind such a dastardly act will not be spared from justice.
“We call on parents to properly guide their wards against being used as political thugs in the forthcoming elections as Government will be unsparingly decisive in dealing with issues of political thuggery before, during and after the elections.
“We urge the people of Okehi and the entire Kogi Central to go about their normal businesses as Government has put machineries in place to guarantee their security. Kogi will continue to be the safest state in Nigeria.”
