Police in Kogi gives SDP spokesperson 24 - hours to substantiate allegations against CP »

…plans to invoke operational processes to hold him accountable

The Nigeria Police force has given a 24- hour ultimatum to Mr. Farouk Adejoh, who they identified as the spokesperson of the Kogi State Social Democratic Party, Gubernatorial Campaign council following an allegation that the state commissioner of Police, was responsible for recruiting and supporting thugs in support of a certain political party.

In a press statement signed by the SP William Ovye Aya, Police public Relations officer for the Police Commissioner, Kogi State Command, Mr. Adejoh’s ultimatum was to substantiate his allegations against the State Police Command noting that his failure to achieve this, the force would be forced to invoke its operational processes to hold him to account for his reckless and unsubstantiated claims.

The statement reads ‘’Our attention has been drawn to a reckless allegation against the Kogi State Police Command and the Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Command, claiming that the CP was responsible for recruiting and supporting thugs in support of a certain political party or personalities.

‘’It is not the tradition of the Police Command to respond to all allegations, especially frivolous ones by politicians accusing us of bias, but the last one by one Farouk Adejoh who claimed to be speaking on behalf of the Social Democratic Party, is a direct affront on the integrity and authority of the Nigerian Police Force, hence the need to set the record straight’’.

Narrating the event, the police PRO said that they received reports of a protest gone awry at the State Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the CP swiftly directed the deployment of officers and men to restore normalcy at the INEC Office. He added that the concern of the police is the protection of the staff and property of the Electoral Commission as well as the safety of the citizens transacting businesses around the INEC Office.

He further mentioned that with the support of other security agencies, calm was restored at the INEC State Headquarters mentioning further that how the operation that restored peace at the INEC Office has infuriated the Social Democratic Party is what the police don’t understand.

The PRO said the protesters who blocked the road and were burning tires to scare people were all wearing the fez caps of the Social Democratic Party.

While sounding a note of waning to SDP and other political parties to desist from disturbing the peace of the state he noted that anyone that tries to obstruct operations at the INEC Office will face the full wrath of the law.

SP William Ovye Aya said that the CP has directed full investigations into the allegations raised in Farouk Adejoh’s statement with a view to ensure that a final knell is placed on attempts by politicians to drag the Police Force into partisan disagreements assuring that they were for all Nigerians.

He further said ‘’While other parties have conducted themselves in a relatively peaceful manner, the activities of the Social Democratic Party has generated a lot of security concerns before, during and after the election. They have refused to cooperate with the Nigerian Police in dealing with security issues, a situation that has raised tension in the state’’.

He however urged all parties to have faith in the judiciary and refrain from taking the laws in their hands as any breach of peace henceforth would be dealt with decisively and without compromise, no matter the elements involved.

The State Police Command wishes to assure Kogites of their safety as plans have been put in place to guarantee peace, he noted.