Longpet supervised the conduct of the November 11 off-season governorship election in Kogi State
By Kehinde Okeowo
Resident of Dr Hale Gabriel Longpet, the Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is currently being protected by the Nigerian military and police.
This was confirmed on Friday by the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Onuoha, who told newsmen in Lokoja, the state capital, that the development was a result of the recent attack on the home of the REC.
He went on to describe the incident as “very unfortunate and wicked.”
He further explained that the gunmen arrived at Longpet’s apartment around 3:00 am on Friday but were greeted with fierce resistance from security personnel.
ALSO READ: Buhari didn’t take charge of his govt for 8 years, says Ndume
Addressing journalists, Onuoha said: “The joy of it all is that the hoodlums did not succeed in their nefarious act as my officers gallantly repelled their attack and burnt the vehicle they came with.
“Right now, there are soldiers stationed in the house alongside our personnel to keep watch and ensure safety.
“Again, all the junctions around the house and INEC office have heavily armed soldiers and policemen keeping watch to forestall any eventuality,” he said.
Dr Longpet was the INEC REC who supervised the conduct of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.
Prior to this, a statement by Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had stated that the attack left properties destroyed, but no life was lost.
The statement read: “In the early hours of today, Friday 1st December 2023, around 3.30 a.m., gunmen attacked the residence of our Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lokoja, Kogi State.
“The armed men engaged the security personnel in a gun battle for over 30 minutes until reinforcement arrived. While no lives were lost, property was destroyed in the ensuing gun battle.”