Kogi State, Nigeria – Allegations of political intimidation and a coordinated campaign against supporters of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi Local Government Area have come to light, with Governor Yahaya Bello and Kogi’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Onuoha Bethrand, at the center of these claims.
Amidst a wave of defections from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Governor Yahaya Bello has reportedly enlisted the aid of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Onuoha Bethrand, to exert pressure on supporters of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Governorship Candidate, Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka.
Sources suggest a plot involving Kogi’s Police Commissioner, Mr. Bethrand Onuoha, and Governor Bello to frame SDP members in Kogi Local Government Area with fictitious charges as a pretext for a widespread crackdown on supporters. This alleged scheme appears to be a response to a significant exodus of APC members in the Kogi Local Government Area who have publicly declared their support for Alhaji Ajaka.
Bashir Gegu, purportedly a notorious individual employed by Governor Bello as an aide, is believed to have provided a list of major supporters of Alhaji Ajaka to Commissioner Onuoha. The Commissioner is allegedly preparing to deploy a squad of police officers, supported by Governor Bello’s associates, to initiate actions within the Kogi Local Government Area.
This development is especially concerning in light of the previous Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeshina Yusuf, who was accused of collaborating with Governor Bello in extra-judicial killings in June of the same year.
In response to these allegations, the SDP is urgently calling upon the Inspector of Police, the Police Service Commission, and the Minister for Police Affairs to intervene and address the situation. They argue that the actions of these security personnel, who appear to be intimidating and attacking SDP supporters on behalf of Governor Bello, pose a significant threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
The SDP emphasizes that no one should be allowed to misuse gubernatorial immunity to employ state security personnel to harm political opponents in an electoral race. The party is urging the Federal Government of Nigeria to protect the rights of its members to participate in the democratic process without fear of harm.
In light of these allegations, the SDP has enlisted the services of legal experts, including Messrs Femi Falana SAN, to initiate immediate legal proceedings against the Commissioner of Police. Their goal is to safeguard the rights of their candidate and supporters, ensuring their freedom to engage in the democratic process without intimidation or harm from Governor Bello and his associates.
As this situation unfolds, the public’s attention is focused on Kogi State, where concerns about political intimidation and security abuse are raising critical questions about the sanctity of Nigeria’s democratic processes.
— Source: Faruk Adejoh-Audu, Media Communications to H.E, Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka