Armed Men Attack Kogi Election Tribunal Secretary, Steal Opposition Petitions

The Kogi State Police Command reported on Wednesday that armed men targeted and attacked Mr. David Mike, the Secretary of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

The assailants, driving SUVs, seized valuable items during the incident, including petitions submitted by opposition parties involved in the recent election.

According to Police Public Relations Officer SP Williams Ovye-Aya, the attack unfolded as Mike, along with Labode Apreala, a female confidential secretary, and Hassimu Adamu, an assistant secretary, was en route to court.

Ovye-Aya detailed that the attackers, about seven hooded and heavily armed individuals dressed in black attire, surrounded and blocked Mike’s vehicle while attempting to reverse.

“The armed men shot severally into the air, dragged him and his two other colleagues out of their car, ransacked the vehicle, and made away with all the documents, including petitions filed by four parties,” explained Ovye-Aya.

The affected parties were identified as Action Alliance (AA), Action People’s Party (APP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP). Stolen items also included two record books and a bag containing personal belongings of Mr. David Mike.

In the aftermath of the November 11 gubernatorial poll, where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner, Murtala Ajaka of SDP filed petitions seeking to overturn the APC victory.

Concerns over political thuggery in the state led to the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, issuing an order on Wednesday for the relocation of the Kogi Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal from Lokoja to Abuja.

The move aims to ensure the safety and impartiality of the tribunal’s proceedings amid escalating tensions.