Secretary to the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, David Mike, has said that gunmen carted away petitions of four parties challenging the election victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Usman Ododo, in the November 11, 2023 poll, the police report has said.
In a statement on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the police in the state, William Aya, said Mike reported to the police that he was attacked on Monday by some armed men while heading to his office at the High Court Complex in Lokoja, the state capital.
The tribunal secretary said he was with two other officials when the incident occurred.
“All of them (gunmen) surrounded and blocked him (Mike) as he attempted to reverse,” the police said in their statement.
The report added: “That he saw about seven hooded men all heavily armed and dressed in black attire, who shot into the air and dragged him and his two other colleagues out of their car, ransacked the car and made away with all the documents, including petitions filed by four parties, namely Action Alliance (AA), Action People’s Party (APP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP); record books and a bag containing his personal items.”
The police said an investigation into the incident has been ordered by the Commissioner of Police in the state.
Gunmen had, last Friday, attacked the residence of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, in the state, Gabriel Longpet.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police Command has cautioned the public against comments that could prejudice its investigation into the stolen election materials.
In a statement issued, yesterday, by the State Police Public Relations Officer, William Ovye Aya, the police said it was investigating the matter and that people should desist from making comments that could undermine the investigations.
Noting that the attention of Kogi State Police Command had been drawn to series of distorted information on the incident, the police said it needed to set the records straight.
“The general public is advised to avoid statements that may prejudice ongoing investigation into the matter.
“The Command also appeals to anyone with useful information on the alleged incident to provide same to the Command. The public will be updated as investigation progresses”, Ovye Aya wrote.
