Kogi election: Police uncover plans to import thugs, arms

The police on Friday alerted the public to an intelligence report that some people were trying to smuggle arms and thugs into Kogi State ahead of the governorship election to hold today.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, in charge of Operations, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, who disclosed this, said for that reason, travellers going into the state should expect to be searched thoroughly.

Wakama also announced restriction of movements in the state from 6.30am on Saturday till after the election.

He advised travellers who planned to pass through the state to take alternative routes.

Kogi State is a major link between the Northern and Southern parts of the country with Abuja/Lokoja Road recording heavy traffic daily.

The AIG stated that the directive was to ensure violence-free election and aide security agencies, as well as other accredited personnel involved in the conduct of the election to do their jobs unhindered.

He also warned the public that there would be thorough screening of people.

He said, “If you know you are going to travel and pass through Kogi for any reason, I will suggest that you postpone or delay that trip, if you can. Or perhaps, you can take a more circuitous route and go round Kogi rather than through Kogi. Or if you can, you can take a flight.

“There are two basic reasons for this. First. if you are coming through Kogi and you are going to other states for business, it is certain that you will be stopped and screened because we have intelligence that some people are trying to move in arms and thugs.

“So we will screen everybody thoroughly. This will amount to inconvenience to some of those legitimate road users. If they can avoid it, they can pass around Kogi.

“The second reason is that, it will prove to be a distraction to the police and other law enforcement agencies from our duties on election day and we do not want to be distracted.”

Wakawa said, “The IGP has asked me to be here to supervise the election.

“As far as the police and other sister agencies assisting us are concerned, our duty is to protect lives and property and this extends to the lives of the personnel of the Independent National Electoral Commission and their materials. It includes the voters, and by extension, the inhabitants of Kogi State.

“There will be restriction of movement on Saturday from 6.30am until after the election. The restriction of vehicular movement is to enable operational staff of the INEC and law enforcement agents to go about their businesses unhindered, and for registered voters to go to polling booths and cast their votes without any hindrance.”

He described the restriction of movement as important while noting that there would be inconveniences as Kogi is a hub of travellers in the country.

Meanwhile, there was tension in major towns of Kogi State on Friday as the Independent National Electoral Commission concluded arrangements for today’s governorship election in the state.

Saturday PUNCH’s correspondents observed that the tension was heightened by fear of likely violence among residents as well as accusations and counter-accusations by supporters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress.

The governorship election did not hold in the state in the last general elections because the incumbent governor is yet to complete his four-year term in office.

As early as 8am, residents of Lokoja, the state capital, stormed Felele, Kabwa, Lokongoma and Kanaja markets to buy foodstuffs and other consumable items.

The state government had declared Friday as a work-free day as part of preparations for the election.

There was fear among residents that the election could be marred by violence following reports of “importation of small arms into the state.”

A resident of Lokoja, Idris Abdulsalam, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH, said, “There have been reports that some people are bringing arms into the state, but we have been assured by the security agencies that the election will be peaceful.”

Armed policemen were seen patrolling major towns, including Lokoja, Ankpa, Kabba, Okene and Idah.

11,000 policemen for 2,548 polling units

Amid tension ahead of the election, there was massive deployment of police officers in the state on Friday.

The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ovye Williams, said that the police had deployed 11,000 personnel to man the 2,548 polling units in the state.

He added that 4,969 anti-riot police officers had been deployed to complement the conventional police personnel.

Our correspondents observed that there had been periodic patrol by police officers, especially in Lokoja, the state capital. Also there had been helicopter surveillance in the city.

Police warn troublemakers

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, said in an interview with journalists that the police had got some reports that some people wanted to foment trouble.

He therefore warned troublemakers to vacate the state, adding that security agencies would deal with them if caught.

Wakama said, “We have got intelligence regarding intending activities on that day. I want to seriously warn that we will come down heavily on anybody regardless of his or her status or stature, real or perceived who poses any problem.

“We will have the person apprehended. He or she will be detained and the matter will be prosecuted. It will not end there. We will also go after sponsors of violence; we will go after them and prosecute them. Personally, I will not want problems to persist after the election but if they feel that they have the might to challenge the federal power, we shall demonstrate to them that this is not possible.”

No armed policemen within 300 metres of polling units

Wakama said no police officer would carry arms within 300 metres of polling units. According to him, with the security situation in the country, it will be unfair to ask security agencies not to carry arms during election.

He said, “You also know what the country is passing through today. If you are asking policemen not to carry arms and walk around when there is likelihood that other people may carry arms and disrupt election, then it will not be fair on us.

“Those who are carrying arms will not be in the polling units. They may be around the collation centres to protect the officers collating the results, but certainly not in the polling booths.

The DIG urged voters to feel free to vote for the candidate of their choice.

He warned against unruly behaviour at polling booths and collation centres, adding that the police would ensure the protection of the voters, INEC officials and other personnel involved in the conduct of the election.

Police to video record, take photographs

He stated that police to officers had been directed to take video and camera recordings of events during the election.

He said this would enable the police arrest all culprits even after the election and use such materials as evidence at tribunals.

Wakama appealed to voters to peacefully cast their votes and avoid any act that could instigate violence after results had been announced.

He said, “I advise that once you (the electorate) have cast your vote, go back to your house, allow the INEC officials to continue their duties and collation will continue from there. Where a lot of people gather and announcement has been made in favour of one against another, it usually results in jubilation and this could generate some violence. We advise that if you can, vote and please leave and go back to your house after casting your vote.

“Our officers have been instructed to use telephones and cameras to take pictures of people who are fomenting trouble. We will analyse the pictures and videos and pick the suspects at a later day so far we can identify them.

“We have asked our officers to take pictures of things. This will also provide evidence to the tribunal after the election so that we can use that evidence to trace who the sponsors of the unruly people may be.”

Presidency, APC ask military to rig election – PDP

The PDP, commenting on the preparations for the poll, alleged that the Federal Government and the APC planned to use military operatives to rig the governorship election.

The PDP said the military ought to have been allowed to concentrate on its statutory role of providing peripheral security during elections.

The party said information available to it indicated that some compromised military personnel, led by a colonel, had been detailed by the Presidency to carry out specific assignments in favour of the APC candidate in the poll.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said the development was not only a recipe to civil disorder, but also a clear invitation to total disruption of free and fair poll in Kogi State if not checked.

He said, “Available intelligence shows that the deployment in Kogi State of the army colonel, who is a known APC sympathiser, is part of the fallout of last week’s secret meeting coordinated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation where orders were issued to clamp down on PDP members and supporters to pave the way for some pliable INEC officials to manipulate the election in favour of the APC.

“Compromised troops have already been detailed to Dekina Local Government Area, the largest PDP stronghold in the state and home of Governor Idris Wada, where they have been instructed to create panic, strong-arm PDP supporters, frighten and scare away voters ostensibly to deprive our party of its expected large votes from the area.

“We are also aware of how the head of security of APC candidate’s campaign organisation, a retired Army General, is coordinating the movement of partisan security operatives into other key local governments, including Igalamela, Ofu, Ankpa and Idah, to harass and frighten PDP supporters and provide a leeway for the APC to manipulate the election.

“The PDP also has information of the copious involvement of a retired police officer, who is working with some men of the Directorate of Security Services in providing illegal arms, vehicles and cover for APC thugs who have been positioned to attack PDP supporters during the election.”

He said it was shocking that President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government, a huge beneficiary of free, fair and credible election conducted by the PDP, would be involved in the issue he alleged that PDP was involved in.

Nevertheless, he said his party had resolved that no amount of force and intimidation would sway the Kogi State people from exercising their franchise and using every means within the law to protect their mandate.

Metuh said, “While we charge our members and the entire people of Kogi State to be vigilant and continue to assert their constitutional rights, we also call on the security forces to note that their duty is primarily to the nation and its citizens, and as such must ensure that they do not become tools in the hands of anti-democratic forces seeking to truncate our democracy.”

PDP’s allegation baseless –APC

The APC described the PDP’s allegation as baseless.

The APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the party’s confidence was hinged on the track record of performance of its candidate.

The chairman stated this via a text message in response to enquiries from Saturday PUNCH.

According to him, the party has so many things working in its favour and that the abysmal performance of the incumbent in office has made the job even easier.

Odigie-Oyegun said, “I am confident of our victory in Kogi. I was personally there on three campaign events and the effect of our message was electric.

“Secondly, the incumbent is grossly a non performer while on the other hand most easily recall that the last taste of development in Kogi State was when our candidate was the governor.

“We already won as opposition all Senate seats, majority of the seats in the House of Representatives 40 per cent of the seats in Kogi State House of Assembly. So, allegation that we are planning to rig the governorship election is baseless.

We’re neutral –Military

The Acting Director, Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar, also denied the PDP’s claim.

Abubakar said that the role of the military was clearly spelt out during a stakeholders’ meeting that the military would not be involved in the entire process of the election.

He said that no military personnel would be allowed to function as an escort or to play a role at the polling units.

Abubakar added that the military was completely neutral and apolitical.

However, Abubakar said that the military would be deployed in strategic locations to prevent hoodlums from taking the laws into their hands and to maintain law and order.

Abubakar said, “We had a meeting of the stakeholders and the position of the military is very clear. No military personnel should be part of the escorts; no military personnel would be at the polling units. No military personnel is authorised to do that.

“We are apolitical, we are neutral, we are not going to be involved in the conduct of the election.

“However, we will have troops in strategic places to maintain law and order.”

We are for peaceful poll –INEC

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kogi State, Mr. Hussein Pai, said all sensitive and non-sensitive materials had been transported to different locations.

He assured of the readiness of INEC to effectively conduct a hitch-free election.

He also said the card readers had been configured and ready for the poll.

punch