- Tell DSS to arrest instigators of violence
From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Indigenes of Kogi State under the aegis of the Kogi Youth Leaders’ Forum have warned those planning to foment trouble in the November 11 governorship poll in the state to desist from it.
This is even as it called on the Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) to be vigilant and arrest those making inciting remarks.
While addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, the President of the Forum, Richard Leké, claimed that a recent protest at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja was targeted at blackmailing the military and other security agencies from performing their legitimate constitutional duties in Kogi State.
Leké called on genuine Kogi State indigenes both home and abroad to rise up to condemn the activities of merchants of disharmony pretending to be what they are not.
He said: “Our fundamental objectives are the harmony, peace, progress and development of Kogi State as a whole. We advocate for good governance, ethno-religious tolerance, unity and prosperity of Kogi State without discrimination.
“This petition is against the backdrop of the activities and unguarded utterances of some unpatriotic and antidemocratic persons who are fond of overheating Kogi State for political factors by making wild and unsubstantiated allegations that can throw the state into an unmitigated crisis of immeasurable violence.
“These are individuals who specialise in instigating violence needlessly in the state by words and actions and need to be reined in by security agents before things get out of hand.
“Some of them have turned their social media handles into a platform for hate speeches and campaigns of calumny that can instigate the people into a mob action that may prove extremely difficult to manage and lead to needless loss of lives and properties.
“We are also aware of the sponsored protest to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja today with the sole purpose of blackmailing the military and other security agencies from performing their legitimate constitutional duties in Kogi State.
“That protest was sponsored by people who have something to hide and are behind violent attacks in Kogi State and would, therefore, want security agencies to stay aloof without intervening to prevent violence in the state.
“They do not mean well for the state at all. Why would anyone wish to discourage security agents from doing their work if such a person does not harbour criminal intentions?
“It is either that or these people are not bonafide Kogi State indigenes. They cannot be. Their protest today which was comprised of non-Kogi indigenes except, perhaps, one or two of them, is a confirmation that they’re not Kogites.
“One or two sponsored agents of violence from Kogi just picked some street urchins on the streets of Abuja suburbs to do the so-called protest.
“Any genuine Kogi indigene will never encourage violence and criminality by asking security agents to desist from decimating criminal activities in the state.
“All genuine Kogi State indigenes both home and abroad must rise up to condemn these merchants of disharmony pretending to be what they are not,” he said.