AN ALLEGATION THAT( SARS) ARRESTED LOTS OF PEOPLE IN KOGI STATE BARELY 24HOURS TO THE POLL IS SAID TO BE BASELESS
Less than twenty four hours to the commencement of the presidential and National Assembly elections, a lot of people have been reportedly arrested from across Kogi State, by operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Lokoja.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Busari, has however debunked the allegations of indiscriminate arrest of persons.
He said that those spreading the falsehood were doing so in bad faith.
The police, he said, will always do its routine work, irrespective of the season.
Speaking with The Nation on the telephone, the CP said that those peddling the ‘falsehood’ were doing so, for ulterior motives.
He said that six persons were arrested about two weeks back, based on petitions against them, adding that four were released after investigation, while two others who were later arrested, also based on petitions, are being investigated, and will be released, if cleared.
According to him: “It is falsehood; these people are doing it for ulterior motives.
“One politician and former governor for three months alleged that people were arrested; petitions were written and after investigations, we invited six persons. Four were released, while two others are still being investigated.
“If they are cleared, they will be released. This is election period and anything that happens, they will ascribe to ethnic, political or religious colouration. There is nothing as such; police will always carry out its routine duty, whether it is election or not. We are doing our work.”
The said arrests, according to sources, who did not want their names in print, began as early as 3am, in Mopa, Mopa-Moro Local Government Area (LGA), Kogi West, where former Acting Governor, Clarence Olafemi hails from, and where no less than fifteen persons, including a septuagenarian Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Leader, were said to have been ’rounded up’.But this accusation has been said to be baseless.
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