KogiDecides: Why armed security operatives invaded Governor Makinde's hotel

The police in Kogi State on Friday confirmed that security operatives stormed a hotel in Lokoja where the Governor of Oyo, Seyi Makinde, was lodged.

The Commissioner of Police for Kogi State, Hakeem Busari, told PREMIUM TIMES on the phone that the entry by the security operatives was an error.

He said the police got a tip-off that miscreants were hiding in the hotel, which turned out to be untrue.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the governor’s hotel was invaded by armed masked operatives at about 12.50 p.m. on Friday.

Mr Makinde is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Campaign Council in Kogi State.

Suitorial Hotels, Lokoja [PHOTO: hotels.ng]

The masked security operatives arrived the Suitorial Hotels, Lokoja, located along Stadium Road, where the governor and some members of the PDP Campaign Council were lodged at about 12.50 pm, shooting sporadically and attempting to break into the hotel rooms.
Some of the operatives were said to have scaled the fence of the hotel and attempted to enter the rooms.

A scuffle, however, ensued when security aides of the governor resisted the moves of the invading security officers.

It was gathered that some residents nearby also helped to resist the invaders.

Mr Busari, who has been accused by the PDP of bias, however, said there was no incident as the men withdrew when they realised the miscreants were not there.

“We got a report that some hoodlums were hiding in a hotel, when they got there and they discovered that it was not true, they withdrew,” he said.

“So, nobody invaded anybody, and nobody attacked anybody.”

He said it was not an intentional act to embarrass the PDP leaders, as the security men withdrew as soon as they found out the miscreants were not there.

He, however, did not speak on why the security operatives had to be masked.

The PDP has maintained that the police were seeking to favour the ruling party in the build-up to Saturday’s election.

The party had also called for the removal of Mr Busari, saying his actions proved he would not be fair to the opposition parties.

Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi has about 4 candidates. However, the contest is expected to be between Governor Yahaya Bello of the APC and Musa Wada of the PDP.