The political tension in Kogi state heightened on Saturday following the alleged killing of a supporter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for the Kogi central senatorial district in the coming election, Natasha Akpoti.
The deceased, Ojo Enesi, was allegedly shot dead in Obeira, Ihima in Okehi local government area of the state by hoodlums suspected to be supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Eyewitness accounts of the incident said the trouble started in the morning of Friday when the suspected thugs attacked the peaceful street campaign of the SDP senatorial candidate in Ihima.
However, the SDP candidate in her verified Facebook account alleged that “in a way to further demonstrate their evil, new guns were handed over to the thugs to launch house to house raid on her supporters”.
She explained that after handing over the guns to the thugs, they went on a rampage at about 1:00 am on Saturday, attacking her supporters’ houses and destroyed everything they could lay their hands and carted away money and other valuables.
The young Enesi, who was in his mid-20s was said to have been shot repeatedly by one of the hoodlums.
Akpoti further alleged that, while the attack was going on, she put a call through to the Area Commander of Okehi, who said he could not do anything.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), William Aya, could not be reached for official confirmation as the calls put through to his lines were not picked.
