VOICE AIR MEDIA News Update
Ahead of February 25th, 2023 general election, the Kogi State Police Command has revealed that some workers of CCECC construction company, who were caught destroying roads leading to Kogi Central Senatorial district, have been arrested.
It was alleged that the state government engaged the workers to destroy the roads in order to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission officials and other stakeholders from accessing the district
The campaign organisation of a Peoples Democratic Party senatorial candidate in the state, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, raised the alarm, claiming that some of the workers arrested at the scene of the incident confessed to their involvement in the act.
However, in a statement issued on Friday, the state government said the destruction of the road was done to prevent terrorists from accessing the section of the state.
Some workers arrested, who were caught digging pits in major access roads to Okehi Local Government Area, said they were commissioned by the Okehi Local Government Chairman, Abdulraheem Ohiare, and instructed to carry out the assignment by one Mr. Toni, the Project Manager of the company in Kogi State.
Upon interrogation, one Ismail confessed being a staff of CCECC construction firm while one Sheidu, who said he works at the Kogi State Ministry of Works admitted to the collaboration between CCECC construction firm and Kogi State Ministry of Works to block access roads in Kogi Central ahead of the February 25, 2023 general elections.
As at the time of filing this report, the CCECC firm had already dug pits in four major access roads in Okehi Local Government Area.
Several reports confirmed that the company carried out the same assignment in four other local government areas of Kogi Central.
The state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, explained that the excavation of some roads in the region was a deliberate security measure to cut off traffic on those roads with a view to restricting the use of the roads by criminals who had been breaching the peace of the area.
In a statement, the commissioner drew the attention of the public to an explosion that rocked the Okehi Local Government Secretariat Complex a few days ago and the Okene blast of December 29, 2022, during the visit of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), to the state.
According to him, the security agencies ensured no life was lost as a result of the recent explosion.
“One of the measures arrived at was to restrict the number of routes to the flashpoints to enable security agents properly mount effective surveillance on the other access roads for the safety of the people, especially as they go to the polls on Saturday, February 25, 2023. We thank the state Ministry of Works and Urban Development for their proactive efforts on the road,” he said.
Commenting on Akpoti-Uduaghan outburst over the said road saga Fanwa said, “To her, their lives do not matter. But she was quick to characteristically blackmail the state government when measures were taken to protect her people,” he said.
He then warned those sponsoring terrorism in the state to desist as security agents had enough evidence to nab masterminds.
“Some of the masterminds of the Okene blast of December 29, 2022 have been arrested and they are giving useful statements to security agents. With the current measures in Okehi Local Government, we are confident that the cowards who attacked the symbol of unity of the Okehi people will not escape from justice.
“Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan should recognise the fact that the administration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello will never slaughter security on the slab of politics and will ruthlessly deal with criminal elements and their sponsors whose hearts are not immersed in the culture of peace of the Ebira Nation.
“As a government, our responsibility is to protect the Kogi people, and sometimes, we have to take drastic and even temporarily discomforting steps to achieve that. INEC and security agents have not complained about accessing every part of Okehi local government in particular and Kogi Central in general. Why is Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan crying on behalf of INEC when as an institution, INEC has communication structures and platforms?,” he asked.
The state government urged residents of the state to disregard allegations trying to use local militias to harass voters, saying, “The protagonists of such fiction are elements who want to create panic in the state because of desperation to provoke chaos to cover up for their political feebleness.
“We assure the people of Kogi Central and Kogi state in general to come out enmass to cast their votes as adequate security arrangements are in place to protect them before, during and after the polls. Those who need to worry are criminals who will never be spared in the state.”
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