Death of corps member: FG vows to punish perpetrators

From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

FEDERAL Government, yesterday, said it would stop at nothing to fish out the masterminds of the violence in the Rivers State bye-elections which claimed the life of corps member, Samuel Okonta.

Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, who gave the assurance blamed the violence of desperate politicians, who he said refused to play the game by the rules.

The Minister spoke when the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmmud Yakubu, led a delegation on a  condolence visit to the headquarters of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Abuja described the murder of Okonta as barbaric. “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to Nigerian politicians that in playing the game, officials for the match and spectators are not players.

“I observed that each time we play this our political game, our tentacles and anger is extended to wrong persons. Politicians aspire to hold public office because they want to develop Nigeria.

“In doing this they are talking of protecting the life of every Nigerians. So, it is bad that we cannot conduct ordinary election without conflict and  crisis. If they kill all Nigerians who do we rule over? Are they going to rule over animals?”

Speaking earlier, Director General of the NYSC, Brig- Gen. Johnson Olawumi, had vowed that the scheme would not relent until the perpetrators are brought to justice. He charged the Rivers State government and community leaders to unravel the killers.

Similarly, INEC Chairman said: “It is painful when a life is lost in the conduct of an election. No matter the grievances of those involved in political contest, nothing justifies the cold blooded murder of an innocent official conducting a legitimate national assignment intended to afford the citizen an opportunity to freely choose their leader.”