Ahead of Kogi election: PDP calls for release of members arrested on trumped-up charges

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of its Head of Security in Dekina local government area of Kogi State, Mr. Edeh Abutu, and others who were allegedly arrested in the state.

RipplesNigeria had reported that Abutu, who is also the chairman of the Security Committee of the Musa/Aro Campaign Organization, was arrested alongside six others by operatives from the Abuja Police Command over alleged illegal possession of firearms.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, at a news conference in Abuja on Sunday, alleged that Abutu and the other PDP members in Kogi were arrested on “trumped-up charges” and taken to an unknown destination “where they were believed to be under torture.”

Ologbondiyan said the PDP had on Thursday, raised the alarm over purported plots to clamp down on key party leaders in the state.

READ ALSO: KOGI GUBER: PDP campaign official arrested for illegal possession of firearms

He claimed that framing up, harassing, victimising, issuing threats and arresting of innocent citizens were being used in order to manipulate the forthcoming election in the state.

The PDP spokesman further claimed that Abutu had been threatened with arrest and frame-up several times before he was eventually picked up.

He added that party’s head of security was framed and arrested after he pulled a “gargantuan crowd” for PDP’s governorship campaign rally in Dekina.

He said that available reports showed that thugs invaded Abutu’s residence, harassed citizens with gunshots, abducted him and took him to an unknown destination.

“The PDP is also aware of plots to frame-up other PDP leaders with allegations of illegal possession of firearm, sponsoring of violence and training of thugs, among others as an attempt to intimidate the citizens,” he said.

Ologbondiyan cautioned that the continuous detention of Abutu was capable of causing crisis in the state.

He urged security agencies not to allow themselves to be entangled with the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the people, as such “would diminish the trust, respect and confidence that people have for them.

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