From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
Aftermath of the governorship election in Kogi state, a non governmental organisation, Search for Common Ground, (SFCG), has called on security agencies to mop up fire arms with unauthorized persons in the State.
Kogi state Early Warning Coordinator, Search for Common Ground, Mrs. Omolola Mamedu, made the call on Thursday during the Monthly Conflict Scan Analysis of Post Election Violence with Stakeholders in Kogi State.
Speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Mamedu noted that after the November 16 Governorship election in Kogi State more violence have been recorded across the state.
She lamented that kidnapping, killing of people and burning of houses have increased in the state, stressing that continuous mopping of fire arms by the police and relevant security agencies from thugs and miscreants should be intensified.
She pointed out that since the Governorship election in the state, Kogi State has recorded some frightening increase in violence as a result of reprisal attacks and the introduction of several incidents ranging from assault, killings, banditry, and kidnapping in the state.
She stressed the need for all relevant stakeholders especially the security agencies to beef up security in the state and apprehend miscreants perpetrating these acts of violence.
She also stressed the need to beefed up security in those locations where incidents of post-election violence are recorded and also increase patrol and close surveillance by the police and other security agencies in the state.
“The security agencies should apprehend all those suspects involved in perpetrating these violence and adequately prosecute them in accordance to the law, which will go a long way to serve as deterrence to others.” She added
“Communities should be very vigilant, set up early warning mechanisms and report suspected cases early enough to the police to enhance proactive measures to ease the tension and conflict created during the election.” She added.
“This would help aggrieved stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogues and seek ways of common grounds to resolve conflict and political differences,” she said.
She stressed that Search for Common Ground is committed to identifying threat to peaceful election with the aim of strengthening community-based early warning systems, conflict prevention and mitigation in potential hotspots of election violence, before, during and after the 2019 Kogi Governorship election.
