Sheikh Ibrahim Jibrin, the director-general of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Campaign Council, was attacked at home by suspected political thugs from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anyigba, Kogi State. The tragedy claimed the lives of four more people in addition to one police officer.
Armed with an armoured personnel carrier (APC), the attackers stormed the house on Tuesday morning at around six o’clock in the morning.
After allegedly breaking down the compound’s gate to get entry, they allegedly opened fire, killing Officer Atabor, the on-duty police guard.
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In a statement, Faruk Adejoh-Audu, the spokesperson for the SDP’s Muri/Sam Gubernatorial Campaign, claimed that a “rogue force” put together by Governor Yahaya Bello ahead of Saturday’s governorship election was responsible for the attack.
Adejoh-Audu also claimed that the rogue force was made up of mercenaries from the Nigerian Navy under the command of N.U. Akalezi as well as thugs under the leadership of Friday Makama, who is presently wanted by a Federal High Court. Additionally, he stated that DSS agents led by Mr Tosin Ajayi, the Deputy Director General of the Service, were part of the force.
Numerous persons were reportedly shot during the more than hour-long incident. Apart from Officer Atabor, the attackers also removed the bodies of six other people, four of whom were presumably police officers on official duty.
Comrade I D Ijele, the campaign council’s head of new media, is also thought to have been kidnapped during the assault. At six in the morning, when the attack was taking place, he was last heard from.
“As of the time of writing this statement, the rogue force is still prowling around Anyigba with the Armoured Personalities Carrier (APC),” he continued.
“The police in Kogi are carrying out Bello’s desperate attempts to subdue the people’s will, just as they did during the 2019 Governorship Elections when they obtained a helicopter to shoot at voters. The attack, which involved a renegade army of mercenaries and criminals from the Navy, was planned to start a few days before the elections.
According to what we know, till election day, Bethrand Unuoha and a few other compromised security chiefs in Kogi will continue their sporadic attacks against the leaders and supporters of our campaign, especially in Kogi East.
This is to carry out Bello’s plan to discourage voters from casting ballots in Kogi East, which he perceived to be an SDP stronghold. In order to allow for a free and fair election in Kogi State, the Muri/Sam Campaign Council is once again pleading with Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to remove this commissioner, who is keen to implement Bello’s desperate and violent designs.
