Suspected political hoodlums today, November 29, temporarily occupied the Kogi State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lokoja, the State capital.
Reports reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper said that it took security operatives tough time to be able to prevent the hoodlums from turning the scene into bloody riot.
The hoodlums were believed to have taken the advantage of a meeting between officials of INEC and legal teams of aggrieved governship candidates in the November 11 election in the State.
Confirming the incidence, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State, Dr. Hale Gabriel Longpet said that the hoodlums, who he described as “mob,” barricaded all entrances to the office and prevented access for staff to carry out routine duties.”
Gabriel Longpet, in a statement, said: “the siege also prevented attorneys representing political parties involved in the recent off-cycle governorship election from inspecting documents/materials used in the election.
“It took the intervention of the Nigerian Army to calm the situation down at the State Headquarters. The security agencies have assured us that they will maintain normalcy on our premises.”
The Commission assured all parties and litigants that the Kogi State office is committed to granting unimpeded access to all materials needed to prosecute their petitions.
