By Halimah Olamide
At least, four persons, including a police officer were killed in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital on Tuesday after a raid on the residence of the Director General of the Social Democratic Party’s campaign organisation.
The residence of Sheikh Ibrahim’s Anyigba, the DG was raided by a combined team of security operatives at the early hours of Tuesday.
However, contrary to insinuations, the Kogi Police Command said that Sheikh Ibrahim, the Director-General, Social Democratic Party (SDP) Campaign Council, was not among those killed.
The state Police Commissioner, Mr Bethrand Onuoha, told journalists said operatives of the command had a gun duel with thugs at the residence of the DG resulting in the death of an officer and three others.
Onuoha said, “Sheikh Ibrahim is not among the people killed during the gun duel between our operatives and political thugs who met in his residence this morning.
“This morning raid of the SDP D-G’s house was following a privilege information, during which four persons lost their lives.
“We were able to arrest eight suspects and recovered four AK-47 rifles during the exercise.
“Among the suspects arrested are two security personnel, one of whom could not properly identify himself or tell who his commander is in Abuja, where he claimed to have come from.
“It’s very unfortunate that lives were lost to the raid, which was a normal routine operation of our security operatives.
“We will, as security operatives, continue go after all criminals disturbing the peace of Kogi, even kidnappers. We won’t give them any breathing space at all,” he declared.h
The police chief therefore called on residents to remain calm and be law abiding before, during and after the Nov. 11 governorship election in the state.