The Kogi State Government has disclosed that six individuals have been apprehended in connection to the assault on a National Assembly member during a courtesy visit to the governor at the Lugard House office in Lokoja on Tuesday. Following the incident, the governor has implemented a ban on unauthorized persons accessing the Government House and called for the immediate prosecution of the culprits, as announced in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Mohammed, on Wednesday.
Lawmakers from Kogi State in the Senate and House of Representatives had visited Governor Yahaya Bello to extend congratulations on the peaceful and credible conduct of the November 11 governorship election, expressing loyalty to him and the incoming administration.
After a productive discussion, the governor was shocked to learn about the harassment of some lawmakers as they left the Government House. Consequently, he swiftly ordered the arrest of the culprits and urged security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation, ensuring the offenders face the full force of the law. The governor emphasized his zero-tolerance for hooliganism and indiscipline.
Senator Isah Echocho, representing Kogi East in the National Assembly, recounted how thugs attacked him inside the Government House immediately after a meeting with the governor. Echocho, in a phone interview with Daily Trust, explained that he and other APC federal lawmakers paid homage to the governor after the festive season.
The thugs singled him out, accusing him of being responsible for APC’s underperformance in the last governorship election in Kogi East senatorial district. Despite the attack, Echocho, who campaigned vigorously for the APC in the district, emphasized that he is safe and thanked the police for their timely intervention.
The governor assured Senator Echocho that the attackers would be apprehended and face legal consequences. Senator Echocho expressed confidence in his safety and rejected the notion that the governor would orchestrate such an attack. The governor condemned the incident, emphasizing that those responsible would be held accountable.