Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, has defended the government’s ban on public rallies, insisting that the decision was not targeted at any individual but to maintain security and order.
Speaking yesterday on a live programme, Fanwo explained that the restriction applied across all three senatorial districts. He cited violent clashes in parts of the state that had resulted in deaths and injuries as a reason for the measure.
Despite the embargo, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan received a grand welcome from a large crowd during her homecoming.
On Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, reaffirmed the directive, warning that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s planned Sallah homecoming rally in Kogi Central Senatorial District violated the ban. He urged her to cancel the event.
Security was tightened, as roads were blocked by heavily armed police officers, military personnel, and members of the civil defence corps.
However, Akpoti-Uduaghan bypassed the restrictions by flying into her Ihima country home in Adavi Local Council via helicopter, a move that surprised many.
Fanwo reiterated the government’s concerns, stating that public rallies, whether political or religious, could pose a security risk.
The CP maintained that the show of force spearheaded by the police command alongside other sister security agencies on Lokoja streets was a proactive measure to guarantee peace and security across the state.
In a statement by the command’s spokesman, SP William Ovye, in Lokoja yesterday, the CP said: “In a demonstration of strength, unity, and collaboration, the Kogi State Police Command, in conjunction with other security agencies, organised Show of Force exercise in Lokoja as part of activities commemorating the National Police Week.
“The exercise, which took place across strategic locations in Lokoja, was aimed at strengthening synergy among security agencies in the state, reassuring the public of their safety, and deterring criminal activities within the state.”
