By Rachel Okporu Fadoju

The Kogi State Government has clarified the destruction of five major roads in Kogi Central, amidst claims it was done to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from getting to the hometown of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senatorial Candidate, Natasha Akpoti.

The state Governor, Yahaya Bello, in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed that the road destruction is a deliberate security measure to cut off traffic to restrict the use of the roads by criminals who had been breaching the peace of the area.

Fanwo stated that Natasha’s outburst could mean she was benefitting from the seeming insecurity in Kogi Central.

According to him, Natasha as an indigene of Okehi Local Government Area had not considered it necessary to sympathize with the people over the recent explosion but was quick to characteristically blackmail the State Government when measures were taken to protect her people.

He warned those sponsoring terrorism in the state to desist as security agents have enough evidence to nab masterminds.

The state government called on Kogites to disregard allegations of trying to use local militias to harass voters during the election.

The statement reads: “One of the measures arrived at was to restrict the number of routes to the flashpoints to enable security agents properly mount effective surveillance on the other access roads for the safety of the people, especially as they go to the polls on Saturday, February 25, 2023. We thank the State Ministry of Works and Urban Development for their proactive efforts on the road.

“Some of the masterminds of the Okene blast of December 29, 2022, have been arrested and they are giving useful statements to security agents. With the current measures in Okehi Local Government, we are confident that the cowards who attacked the symbol of unity of the Okehi people will not escape from justice.

“Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan should recognise the fact that the administration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello will never slaughter security on the slab of politics and will ruthlessly deal with criminal elements and their sponsors whose hearts are not immersed in the culture of peace of the Ebira Nation.

“As a Government, our responsibility is to protect the Kogi people, and sometimes, we have to take drastic and even temporarily discomforting steps to achieve that. INEC and security agents have not complained about accessing every part of Okehi Local Government Area in particular and Kogi Central in general.

Why is Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan crying on behalf of INEC when as an institution, INEC has communication structures and platforms?

“The protagonists of such fiction are elements who want to create panic in the state because of desperation to provoke chaos to cover up for their political feebleness.

“We assure the people of Kogi Central and Kogi State, in general, to come out en masse to cast their votes as adequate security arrangements are in place to protect them before, during and after the polls. Those who need to worry are criminals who will never be spared in the state.”