Gunmen attacked Mr. David Umar Mike, the secretary of the state governorship election Tribunal in Lokoja on Monday, as confirmed by the Kogi State Police Command. The assailants, who struck just before the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office at approximately 1320hrs, forcefully took away sensitive petition documents related to the recently concluded gubernatorial election in the state,Daily Trest reports.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Aya, disclosed the incident in Lokoja on Wednesday, stating that the attackers, armed and dressed in black attire, intercepted Mr. Mike and his colleagues near the CBN office. They blocked his car with SUVs, shot into the air, and forcefully removed the victims from their vehicle. Subsequently, the attackers ransacked the car and seized all the petition documents.
The stolen documents included petitions filed by political parties such as Action Alliance (AA), Action People’s Party (APP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP), along with two Record Books and a bag containing personal items belonging to Mr. David Umar Mike.
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The state Commissioner of Police, CP Onuoha Benthrand, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident. The police command urged the public to refrain from making statements that could influence the ongoing investigation and encouraged anyone with pertinent information about the attack to come forward.
Notably, conflicting statements emerged from the SDP and All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding the assault. While SDP claimed that hired political thugs orchestrated the attack, APC contended that it was a staged incident.
