Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State have once again cried out over what they described as “the deteriorating security situation” in the state.

The party leaders who, on January 29 this year, raised a similar alarm, said nothing has changed since then and accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of using political thugs to hunt them.

Chapter Chairman, Samuel Uhuotu who was flanked by two former governors of the state, Idris Wada and Ibrahim Idris, at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, alleged intimidation, brutality and unprovoked disruption of political meetings and gatherings by political thugs.

“The acts of intimidation and unleashing of terror by the All Progressives Congress (APC) have become increasingly brazen, reckless, monstrous and ominously dangerous.

“We believe that this sordid and unwarranted situation of state-sponsored violence would have been effectively contained if the security agencies had heeded to our cry and indeed, the cry of all Kogi indigenes to confront and check this monster,” Uhuotu stated.

He alleged that the ruling party in the state has distributed fake police and military uniforms to thugs to terrorize opposition party members especially the PDP members.

The party Chairman disclosed that hooded APC thugs in camouflage army and police uniforms with sophisticated weapons, invaded the house of the former governor Idris’ house where a PDP stakeholders’ holders meeting was taking place, last Friday.

“These daredevil fake soldiers and policemen surrounded the house and forced themselves into the compound but retreated temporarily when it was rumoured that the ‘real’ soldiers have been invited and were on their way. They dispersed only to resurface again after the soldiers had returned to base,” he added.

Uhuotu alleged that there were similar attacks, same day, on PDP members in the Eastern and in central senatorial districts of the state.

“On a general note, there was coordinated destruction of posters and billboards of PDP candidates throughout the Central senatorial district;

“A worrisome development in Kogi State is the misuse of SARS by the government to arrest and intimidate our members who are locked up indefinitely on the orders of the governor without any charges.

“In line with a well-rehearsed script, the police in Kogi State has commenced the indiscriminate and unwarranted arrest of opposition members without any charge claiming that they were directed to keep these innocent citizens till after the election,” he said, and regretted that no one has been arrested in connection with the crimes.

He called on the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to bound Kogi State Chapter of APC to desist from alleged clandestine plans of creating mayhem during the forthcoming election.

Uhuotu also wants the IG to compel security agencies especially the police, to maintain demonstrable neutrality in the performance of their duties before and during the forthcoming general elections.

•Sourced from a New Telegraph report

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