Emmaneul Adeyemi, Lokoja
Kogi State police command has paraded 52 suspects over allegations of ballot-box snatching and shootings during last Saturday’s House of governorship/House of Assembly elections. Also arrested were some suspects for allegedly involving in kidnapping, killings and armed robbery.
Four people lost their lives during last Saturday’s election with many injured and several houses and cars burnt.
The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Busari, said in all, 12 political thugs were arrested across the state while 40 others mainly Fulani herdsmen were arrested over incessant kidnappings and armed robbery around Kotokarfi axis of the state.
According to the CP, one Sunday Olu and others were caught in Yagba West with a short gun which he was using to terrorise the electorate before snatching ballot boxes but he was overpowered by the police who subsequently arrested him.
The CP also named Yakubu Zakari, Salifu Mohammed,Ojoma Eugene and five others for engaging in political thuggery during the last elections; they were also caught with prohibited firearms.
A gang of five kidnappers namely Musa Haruna, Ahmadu Haruna, Ibrahim Haruna, Gambo Dauda and Sanni Yunusa were also arrested for allegedly kidnapping and killing a Fulani chief, Alh. Usman Magaji, of Fulani camp, Adogo.
Fielding questions from newsmen on the allegation that the ADC to the state governor, DSP Usman Shugaba, led thugs and policemen to NUJ Press Centre, Lokoja, on election day in the pretext that they were searching for snatched ballot boxes, the CP feigned ignorance of the incident even when journalists were ready to produce eye witness accounts.
Meanwhile, some of the suspects interviewed confessed to committing the crimes even as the CP said those arrested would soon be arraigned before the court for prosecution.
Items recovered them included two Ak47 rifles with 15 ammunition, six locally-made pistols with 25 catridges, six single-barrel guns, three locally-made, double-barrel guns, one Dane gun and one English-made, double- barrel gun.
Others were two pump-action guns, one cutlass, one Vento salon car and some cell phones.