Hoodlums attack SDP secretariat in Kogi, set materials ablaze

Hoodlums on Sunday morning vandalised the Social Democratic Party (SDP) secretariat in Kogi State.

They also set some materials ablaze during the attack.

However, no casualty was recorded in the incident.

The SDP deputy governorship candidate in the state, Sam Abenemi, who confirmed the incident to journalists on Sunday in Lokoja, described the act as “wicked, shocking and uncalled for.”

He said: “All what campaign is in my understanding is canvassing for votes, but the dimensions the race is taking to is scaring and very unfortunate.

“Just this morning around 10:15 a.m. some hoodlums, whom we suspected were sponsored, stormed our party office in Lokoja, vandalised it, and set some materials ablaze.

“This act is very wicked, shocking, and uncalled for. This is not how politics is played in a democratic country like ours.

“This evil and wicked act is aimed at scaring us from taking part in the governorship election, but we won’t be deterred.”

He urged the people of Kogi to participate fully in the November 11 governorship election.

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The spokesman for the Kogi State police command, Williams Ovye-Aya, confirmed the incident.

He, however, said nobody has been arrested in connection with the attack.

“We got the report about the vandalism of the campaign secretariat of SDP and we are investigating the incident to bring the hoodlums to book.

“As it is now, there’s no arrest,” Ovye-Aya said.

The SDP and the state government have clashed on a number of occasions since preparations for the election began in January.

The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, and the SDP governorship candidate in the state, Yakubu Muritala Ajaka, had last month traded blame over the attack on the former’s convoy in the state.

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