Kogi Police recovers bus used in REC’s residence attack

The Kogi State Police Command says it has recovered a Sienna Bus used by some unknown gunmen to attack the official residence of the state Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Gabriel Longpet.

The Police said the Sienna Bus was abandoned in front of the Resident Electoral Commissioner ‘s official residence.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP William Aya who confirmed the recovery of the Sienna Bus in a statement in Lokoja, on Friday however
said the Sienna Bus was discovered to have been burnt at the frontage of the house.

The PPRO said the attackers later flee the scene when they came under superior fire power of policemen on duty at the INEC REC residence. The state police command confirmed the attack, saying it received a distress call at about 3:11am on the attack .

According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Onuoha, has ordered deployment of a Team of Tactical Operatives to the scene while a manhunt has been launched for the hoodlums.

He said the Commissioner has also ordered a thorough investigation into the gun attack on the Quarters of the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner.

SP Aya said the “unknown armed hoodlums stormed the Quarters of the REC, INEC and started shooting sporadically.

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

He also disclosed that Commissioner had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to commence investigation with a view to apprehending the perpetrators and bringing them to deserved justice.

“The CP, while assuring the good people of Kogi State of the Command’s unwavering commitment to guarantee the safety of lives and property of all law abiding citizens, urged them to collaborate with the Security Agencies by way of volunteering credible and timely information on the activities of Criminal elements in the State to enable Prompt and commensurate response,” the statement said.

The official residence of the INEC in Lokoja, was under attack by gunmen suspected to be political hoodlums.

The INEC had in a statement on Friday in Lokoja raised alarm over the attack on the residence of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner.

So much has happened in the state, particularly in Lokoja, the state capital, since the candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC in the state governorship election was declared winner by the INEC.

The rumour of a possible attack on the INEC headquarters in Lokoja had rented the air, resulting in the heavy presence of security agencies, police and army, to frustrate any plan of such.

Supporters of the Social Democratic Party SDP were sighted at the ÍNEC office on Wednesday, November 28, staging a protest to demand access to election materials and BVAS used for the conduct of the election as directed by the tribunal.

The APC Youth coalition took their turn on Thursday, November 29, to also stage a counter protest to condemn what it termed, “intimidation, blackmail and harassment of INEC officials and security agents in the course of their respective official duties”.

The APC had accused the SDP Governorship candidate, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, and his supporters for allegedly masterminding the attack on the residence of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state in the early hours of Friday.

At a press conference in Lokoja on Friday, the Director of Media and Publicity/Spokesperson for the Campaign Council, Kingsley Fanwo, had urged the Police, Department of State Services and other security agencies to immediately arrest what it described as the slide to anarchy in the state.