On Monday, a protest was staged at the Nigerian High Commission in London by some indigenes of Kogi state. The group under the name Kogites Diaspora Coalition, led the protest peacefully.
They used this protest as a way to ask for politicians in Kogi state, to maintain the peace and stability that the state is known for and not ally themselves to terrorists or acts of terror.
Led by Ayo Akinuli- Kofar, the group said they wanted to make their petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Nigerian High commissioner, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Ishola.
This protest is in line with recent happenings in Kogi state where a number of politicians are seemingly being alleged to have strong links with terrorist who are hell bent on making the state a hot bed of infractions, political violence and terrorism activities.
They asked that their petition be expedited and brought before the president as it had already been delivered the previous week to the High Commission.
It was a lengthy petition which described the anxiety and panic these Nigerians are feeling over the political scene in Kogi state.
In an excerpt from the petition, it read ” For a long time Kogi state was battling with violent crimes and criminalities that included kidnapping, political thuggery,armed robbery and even terrorism. But respite came about six years ago with the Inception of the current administration in the states. It was in recognition of this that the Association Of Nigerians In Diaspora based in the United States Of America, bestowed its’ “Icon Of Security ” award on Governor Yahaya Bello in May,2021. This was also replicated by your administration just a few days ago with a distinguished award for security management presented to the governor in Abuja”.
They decried the position of the governor that he is being a peace maker and not taking due action against perpetrators of these acts, so he would not be seen as vindictive or using his office to abuse power.
They named a politician in the state Mrs. Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan as one of the instigators of political violence and that governor Yahaya Bello should not consider her as a sacred cow because her utterances and particular actions, by going across several media houses to with baseless allegations is a sure way to chaos in the state.
They demanded that she should be thoroughly investigated for any known terror links.They citied the case of Tukur Mamu who was meant to be a key negotiator in the Kaduna/Abuja railway kidnap saga, who suddenly turned into a vehement critic of the federal government. He was eventually fingered as a key enabler to the terroists.
Mr. Ayodeji Akinuli-Kofar said, Kogi state must be guarded by every means possible as terrorism would not be allowed to throve there neither would any wanton behaviour by politicians be tolerated.
