Ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship election, the Kogi East Elders Council (KEEC) has lamented the spate of violence and politically motivated killings in Kogi East senatorial district.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, a member of the forum, Ambassador Ali Ocheni, alleged that the state government was behind the insecurity in the senatorial district.
The group called for the replacement of heads of security agencies in the state for being bias.
“We demand the removal of the current Commissioner of Police who supervised the recent extra judicial killings in Kogi East senatorial district.
“The Director, State Security Service, Kogi state should also be replaced. His ineffectiveness has led to the escalation of violence in the state.
“Another person we demand be removed and investigated immediately is Navy Commander Akalezi. We had requested severally that he be transferred out of Kogi state.
“Instead, he was sent to the Republic of South Africa for a senior division training and is now back in Kogi to continue doing the biddings of Yahaya Bello. We request again that he removed from Kogi state ,” he said.
Narrating some of the killings, Ocheni said: “Shortly after the Kogi East Elders Council endorsed the candidature of Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, there was a security breach along Lokoja – Abuja highway where Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka’s car was shot at multiple times .
“Not long after that, the mayhem was taken to Ejule town, Ofu Local Government Area, Kogi East senatorial zone, where a hotel belonging to late Mr Kabiru Bala ( aka Okwo ) was razed down and few weeks later, he himself was killed extra judicially .
“His offense was that he had decided to leave the political camp of the state governor to that of an opposition political party.
“During that senseless breach of the peace of Ejule, an innocent woman, Mrs Atima Abdullahi was murdered by agents of the state.
“In the last two weeks, two vigilante men were gunned down by unknown gunmen conveyed in a Toyota Hilux vehicle at the gate of the Palace of Ejeh of Ankpa and another at Chairman’s Quarter junction, Owele, Ankpa.”