In a recent incident in Kogi State, a group suspected to be associated with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) targeted supporters of Mr. Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, a candidate who contested for governor under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the November 11, 2023, election.
The masked individuals carried out attacks on the residences of SDP members in Okene, resulting in the burning of their belongings.
They did this because they suspected the SDP members were preparing to testify against the election of Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo in the ongoing Kogi State Governorship Election Tribunal.
According to sources, SDP supporters from Okene had appeared in court as required by law to testify about irregularities in the last gubernatorial election.
However, shortly after the court session, the homes of SDP members were attacked. Hon. Agomi Yusuf’s house was among those targeted, with his belongings destroyed and set on fire.
Other properties, like Hon. Mumuni’s pharmacy and Mustapha Otinawu’s family home, were also attacked and damaged.
The victims, when contacted, confirmed the attacks and expressed disbelief that simply being in an opposition party could lead to such violence.
They accused the APC government and its supporters of targeting opposition members, especially those affiliated with the SDP, because their candidate was contesting the election results in court.
Hon. Agomi Yusuf, whose house was attacked, described the incident as barbaric, emphasizing that being in an opposition party is not a crime in Nigeria. He criticized the security agencies for not preventing such attacks.
“The burning of my property is very crude because we are not in a one-party system. It is not a crime to be in opposition party but APC in Kogi State has criminalised being in opposition party and security agencies are enabling it.”
Dahiru Orietesu shared that his pregnant wife was severely beaten during the attack, and she is currently hospitalized. He stated that his only crime was being an SDP member and supporting Ajaka’s bid for governor.
Another victim, Mustapha Otinawu, vowed to continue fighting for change in Kogi State despite the violence.
He reported the attacks to the authorities and affirmed his commitment to appearing in court when needed.
“We are not scared of Yahaya and we are prepared for him even before now. We have made official reports to security agents and hope to hear from them soon. This will not deter us from appearing in court to testify when needed,” he promised.
These incidents highlight the dangers faced by opposition members in Kogi State and raise concerns about the role of security agencies in protecting citizens’ rights to political affiliation and participation.
