- ACF Chairman, Architect Gabriel Yakubu Aduku, calls for peaceful and non-violent conduct ahead of the Kogi State governorship election to avoid unintended consequences
- Aduku expresses concern over the recorded cases of violence in parts of the state and warns that continued violence may lead to federal government intervention, including declaring a state of emergency
- Involvement in violence, emphasizing the importance of peaceful electioneering campaigns and a credible election
Architect Gabriel Yakubu Aduku, Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has urged all stakeholders to conduct themselves peacefully and non-violently ahead of the November governorship election in Kogi State in order to avoid unintended consequences.
Aduku stated in his admonition message, which was made available to newsmen in Jos Plateau State’s capital at the weekend, that the build-up to the election has not been encouraging, as there have been several recorded cases of violence in some parts of the State, particularly in Kogi East.
He stated that if such violence continues, the federal government may strongly intervene and take a variety of measures to curb it, including declaring a state of emergency in the state, which many individuals, groups, and parties have already called for.
Aduku, a former minister of state for health, stated that many individuals and groups, including the state government, have been implicated in the violence and that people should be allowed to vote peacefully without fear of intimidation from any source.
He urged Governor Yahaya Bello, the state’s number one security officer, to ensure a violence-free process as well as the protection of lives and property, saying that accusations from some quarters that he was involved in the violence because of his own anointed candidate should be unheard of.
While urging all candidates and supporters to conduct their electioneering campaigns peacefully and unprovoked and that people be free to hold rallies, campaign for their candidates, and ultimately vote for them, Aduku stated that the people of the state have become more aware. Their recent actions show that they, too, are tired of political violence and are now yearning for a violence-free and credible election that will produce the true candidate.
Immigration officer shoots Ogun man dead during protest
One Jacob Bamgbola has been shot dead in the Idigbo community in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Bamgbola was reportedly gunned down by an officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, identified simply as Lamba, during a protest in the area.
Trouble began when immigration officers at the checkpoint on the expressway stopped him along the Ijowun end of the Idiroko Expressway and demanded N200 before allowing him to continue his journey
It’s gathered that Bamgbola was transporting his sister’s daughter on a motorcycle to a destination in the community and refused to grant the officer’s demand.
Bamgbola was said to have pointed out that he did nothing wrong to warrant him being allegedly extorted of N200.
The situation led to a minor altercation, and while some of the officers were busy questioning other motorists, Bamgbola slipped out of their grasp and proceeded with his journey.
On getting to his sister’s place, Bamgbola dropped his niece and proceeded to inform some youths in the community about his encounter with the immigration officers.
The youths, some of whom had also been a victim of similar encounters bordering on alleged extortion by immigration officers on the road, mobilised other youths to the house of a chief in the community, Moses Faleye, to protest about the development.