The Kogi State Police Command has officially confirmed that gunmen attacked the secretary of the state governorship election Tribunal, Mr. David Umar Mike, on Monday in Lokoja, making away with sensitive petition documents related to the recently concluded gubernatorial election in the state.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Aya, disclosed the incident in Lokoja on Wednesday, stating, “The attackers of the state governorship tribunal secretary carted away all the petition documents filed by five political parties at gunpoint.”

The police authorities detailed that the stolen documents include petitions filed by Action Alliance, Action People’s Party, Peoples Redemption Party, and Social Democratic Party.

Additionally, two record books and a bag containing personal items of Mr. David Umar Mike were taken.

The incident occurred just before the Central Bank of Nigeria office around 13:20 on Monday as the victims were on their way to the tribunal venue at the state High Court Complex in Lokoja.

Mr. David Umar Mike, along with Labode Apreala and Hassimu Adamu, reported the incident to the State Criminal Investigation Department at Kogi State Police Headquarters.

Aya provided details of the incident, stating, “One SUV vehicle, which had earlier overtaken him, blocked his car with two other SUVs following behind. All of them surrounded and blocked him as he attempted to reverse. He saw about seven hooded men, all heavily armed and dressed in black attire, who shot severally into the air, dragged him and his two other colleagues out of their car, ransacked the car, and made away with all the petition documents.”

The state Commissioner of Police, CP Onuoha Benthrand, has ordered a thorough and diligent investigation into the incident.

The police command cautioned the general public against making statements that may prejudice the ongoing investigation and appealed to anyone with useful information to provide it to the command.

SDP and the All Progressives Congress had exchanged accusations over the attack, with SDP alleging that it was perpetrated by hired political thugs, while APC claimed it was staged.