Kogi Governorship Election Tribunal Relocated to Abuja Citing Security Concerns

In response to security concerns and reported attacks on tribunal officials, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, the President of the Court of Appeal, has ordered the relocation of the Kogi Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal from Lokoja to Abuja.

A statement issued by David Umar Mike, the tribunal’s secretary, confirmed the change in venue, with future proceedings to take place at the National Judicial Institute on Umar Yar’Adua Way.

While the statement did not explicitly provide the reasons behind the relocation, a reliable source within the tribunal disclosed that the move was prompted by ongoing security challenges.

The source revealed that tribunal staff had faced multiple attacks in Lokoja, citing a recent incident where armed men assaulted officials on their way to the office.

“Armed men just pounced on the officials. They robbed them of everything. They took away all the documents that were in the car.

Copies of petitions and personal belongings, official receipts, processes like subpoenas, and official stamps were all stolen,” stated the source.

The source emphasized that the frequency of such attacks and the threat to the lives of tribunal officials made it challenging to carry out their duties effectively.

The relocation to Abuja is seen as a proactive measure to ensure the safety and security of tribunal proceedings, as well as to mitigate the impact of external disruptions on the judicial process.

The statement urged litigants involved in the Kogi Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to take note of the venue change for future hearings.