Kogi govt condemns attack on Local Govt Secretariat

The Kogi State Government has condemned, in the strongest terms, an explosion which affected a section of the Okehi Local Government Secretariat Complex, saying that the security agencies have been charged to unravel the masterminds of the attack

According to the state government, preliminary findings have shown that no casualty was recorded as a result of the proactive measures anchored on the state’s iron-cast security architecture.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications in the state, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement on Tuesday said Government was on top of the situation and had immediately put in place further measures to keep the people safe before, during and after the elections.

“This is our responsibility to all Kogites irrespective of their political affiliations. Those behind this would be fished out and severely dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others in their league,” the state government said.

Fanwo called on residents of Okehi Local Government Area and indeed the entire Kogi Central Senatorial District to remain calm, while urging parents to properly guide their wards against being used as political thugs in the forthcoming elections.

“Government will be unsparingly decisive in dealing with issues of political thuggery before, during and after the elections,” he stressed.

The statement read, “The Kogi State Government condemns in the strongest of terms, the attack in Okehi Local Government Area that affected a section of the Okehi Local Government Secretariat Complex. It is an act of cowardice that will continue to fail in the attempt by enemies of the people to compromise the peace and security we enjoy in Kogi State.

“We wish to call on residents of Okehi Local Government Area and indeed the entire Kogi Central Senatorial District to remain calm as Government is on top of the situation and further measures have been immediately deployed to keep them safe before, during and after the elections. This is our responsibility to all Kogites irrespective of their political affiliations. Those behind this will be fished out and severely dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others in their league.

“Preliminary findings have shown that no casualty was recorded as a result of the proactive measures anchored on our iron-cast security architecture. Security agencies have been charged to unravel the masterminds of the attack and we assure our people that those behind such a dastardly act will not be spared from justice.

“We call on parents to properly guide their wards against being used as political thugs in the forthcoming elections as Government will be unsparingly decisive in dealing with issues of political thuggery before, during and after the elections.

“We urge the people of Okehi and the entire Kogi Central to go about their normal businesses as Government has put machineries in place to guarantee their security. Kogi will continue to be the safest state in Nigeria.”

UNKNOWN GUNMEN ATTACK KOGI LG HEADQUARTERS

Unknown Gunmen have attacked a section at the headquarters of Okehi LGA in Kogi state.

The attack according to reports was said to have occurred on Monday night.

A resident in the area disclosed to TheCable on Tuesday morning that the treasurer’s office in the complex was attacked with explosives.

The LG headquarters is just a few metres away from the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the area.

The source said while there is no casualty recorded in the attack, locals believed that the attackers were targeting to destroy some documents in the office.

William Aya, public relations officer of the police (PPRO) in Kogi, was not immediately available to comment on the attack.

He did not respond to calls and text messages put through to his mobile phone for comments.

The development comes less than two months after an explosion rocked a community in Okene LGA of the state.

The incident happened at a mosque near the palace of Ado Ibrahim, the paramount ruler of Ebiraland, on the day President Muhammadu Buhari visited the area to inaugurate projects completed by the state government.