Less than 24 hours after Senator Jibrin Echocho was attacked, smack in the Government House in Lokoja, where he had gone with other lawmakers to pay homage to Governor Yahaya Bello, six persons have been arrested on the order of Kogi State government over the alleged harassment.
The Tuesday evening drama is coming amid unconfirmed reports that many prominent citizens of the state are being made to cough out money they allegedly collected to deliver governor-elect Usman Ododo, but failed to deliver their constituencies, forcing an alleged manipulation of the electoral process to deliver the winner.
Many are said to be “on the run”, including one of the state’s top citizens who has been keeping away from the office.
Political observers disclosed the rash of sack of political office holders this week; and naming of new traditional rulers is all part of the backlash from the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial election.
In a statement, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, said the governor called for the immediate prosecution of the arrested suspects.
The Governor, the statement added, subsequently banned unauthorised persons from accessing the Government House while calling for immediate prosecution of the culprits.
There have complaints in the past that the sanctity of the state’s seat of power has often been tainted with the presence of persons of questionable characters and political urchins.
With reference to the visit by the federal lawmakers, the government statement said: “Shortly after the fruitful discussion, the governor received with rude shock the news of the harassment of some of the lawmakers on their way out of the Government House and swiftly ordered the arrest of the culprits.
“He charged security agencies to investigate the issue thoroughly and ensure the offenders face the full wrath of the law” the statement said.
Onogwu quoted the governor to have said, “Information just got to me as I left the office to the residence that one man called Suleiman and others embarrassed Senator Jubrin Echocho in Government House.
“I’ve directed Chief Security Officer (CSO) to arrest all those involved in such stupid act and bring them to justice immediately. I will never condone act of hooliganism and indiscipline.”
The lawmakers who visited to congratulate and pledge their loyalty on Tuesday included Echocho of Kogi East, Senator Sunday Karimi of Kogi West, Rt Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims of Ankpa Federal Constituency, Hon. Zachariah Idris of Idah Federal Constituency, Hon. Sani Abdulrahim Egidi of Ajaokuta Federal Constituency, Hon. Abdulrahim Danga (PDP) of Okehi/Adavi Federal and Hon. Gowon Haruna of Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency.
Others were Hon. Tijani Ozigi of Okene/Ogori Federal Constituency, Hon. Danladi Aguye of Lokoja/Koto Federal Constituency and Hon. Salman Idris (ADC) of Kabba/Ijumu were also made the team.
Echocho escaped being lynched by political thugs after the meeting with the governor.
He was saved from the thugs by policemen within the vicinity.
He told an online newspaper, National Update on Tuesday that the thugs singled him out of other legislators and pounced on him, accusing him of being responsible for APC’s poor performance in the last governorship election in Kogi East senatorial district.
Muritala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate that made APC’s Ododo’s victory difficult, and Echocho are from the Kogi East senatorial district.
Ajaka is contesting Ododo’s victory at the Kogi Gubernatorial Election Petition Tribunal.
According to National Update, shortly after the election, Governor Bello had lashed out at his appointees who he claimed betrayed him, he also took on Echocho in a viral video saying after he helped him to become a Senator for the second time, he failed to deliver in the governorship election.
Continuing with his narrative of the attack in Government House, Echocho said the attackers blamed him for not working for the success of APC in Kogi East during the poll.
The lawmaker, however, said he did not suffer any injury as the police officers present provided him security and he had since returned to Abuja safely.
Narrating how the incident happened, the senator said, “I was attacked by thugs in Government House Lokoja but the Police rescued me.
“What happened was that all APC senators and the House of Representatives members from the state visited the governor on a courtesy call for the New Year.
“Being one of them, I was not left out. We went up and we had some brief meeting with the governor, though he expressed dissatisfaction over APC performance in Kogi East (my senatorial district) in the last governorship election.
“I told the governor that I tried all I could to convince my people to vote the APC. I campaigned vigorously for APC in Kogi East but the people were resolute in voting another candidate despite my efforts.
“It is not as if APC performed woefully in the election in Kogi East. There were pockets of LGs and wards that we won. There was no other thing I could have done beyond what I did.
‘We exchanged pleasantries with the governor, took group photograph and left.
“As we were coming out, in front of the governor’s office, the thugs pounced on me, that I was responsible for APC’s failure in Kogi East.
“To my surprise they brought out knives and other dangerous weapon to attack me but police officers around were able to rescue me inside my vehicle and we zoomed off. I thank God I didn’t suffer any injury. The police were able to provide sufficient security.”
When asked if the governor was aware of the attack, he said: “the governor cannot descend so low and send thugs to attack me.”
“The governor has spoken with me after the attack, and he assured that the thugs would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law, but I told him not to worry since I’m safe.”