Police ‘arrest’ PDP chieftain for allegedly criticising Kogi governor – Lawyer

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kogi State has spent four days in custody for allegedly criticising Governor Yahaya Bello, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer and social critic, told PREMIUM TIMES that Abdulrahman Mohammed, a leading opposition figure in the state, was arrested on Friday and kept in Government House, Lokoja.

But Mr. Bello strongly denied the allegations, saying he “did not order the arrest of anyone.”

Mr. Falana said Mr. Mohammed was arrested by mobile police officers attached to Mopol 37 operating out of Lokoja, the state capital, and have kept him under “illegal detention” since then.

The lawyer said he had since reported the development to appropriate police authorities for action.

The police in Lokoja could not be reached for comments Tuesday afternoon as police authorities did not provide contact details for the Kogi police spokesperson

But Gbenga Olorunpomi, a spokesman for Mr. Bello, categorically denied his principal’s involvement in the alleged incarceration of Mr. Mohammed.

“He is very much aware of the law and the procedures and will not flout them for any reason,” Mr. Olorunpomi said in a message to PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday afternoon.

“No responsible citizen should seek to soil the good name the governor has built for himself just to get undue political advantage.”