Supreme Court Judgment: Tension in Kogi as Police Build up Security

By Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja

As the people of Kogi State await the Supreme Court judgment tomorrow over the governorship election, the state police command has beefed up security to avoid any crisis in the state.

Security agencies comprising the Nigeria Police, Department State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Nigeria Army  have been mobilised to ensure adequate security ahead of the judgment.

Political stakeholders from all the parties involved in the suit, including the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, are presently in Abuja.

Meanwhile, the state governor has said he is sure of victory tomorrow.

The governor who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mallam Abdulmalik Abdulkareem, said he was not disturbed, adding that he would triumph when the apex court delivers its judgment tomorrow.

“We are not shaken; we know that the rule of law will take its course, and God willing, we are set to make legal record that will become a precedent. The Nigerian legal system is developing and we are happy that our case is adding impetus to the Nigerian judiciary,” he said.

According to him, the governor’s camp was not in any way jittery over the judgment as no different issue had been raised by the appellants.

 Also speaking, the immediate past Governor of the state, Captain Idris Wada, said he had always had belief in the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr. Jacob Edi, the ex-governor said: “We expect to win the case; we have always had confidence in the judiciary and we kept advancing to the last stage, so that is why we are at the Supreme Court. The judiciary is the ultimate hope for the common man.

“The framers of the constitution are aware that at every stage of the case, newer interpretations will come up. We believe that the Supreme Court will look deeper into the case, particularly with the minority judgment.

“Whatever decision taken will deepen democracy as the case is novel; it will be a landmark judgment because we have confidence in the independence of the Supreme Court.”

However, the state Police Commissioner has warned that anybody who takes the law into his hand after the Supreme Court judgment would be dealt with accordingly.

The state Police Commissioner, Abdullahi Chafe, gave the warning while speaking with THISDAY at the weekend on the preparation of the command as the Supreme Court delivers it judgment tomorrow.

He stressed that intelligent report reaching the command disclosed that some miscreant were planning to create crisis after the judgment.

According to the Commissioner of Police, his command was fully ready to deal with whoever disobeys the law, stressing that there will be no kind of public celebration by anybody or groups after the court judgment.

 He also warned all political parties to caution their supporters against anything inimical to the growth and development of the state, stressing that Kogi State is greater than anybody.

“Police will not waste time in dealing with law breakers within the constitutional requirement,” he said.