Bello Condemns killing of Kogi Poly student

The crisis of Senator Dino Melaye’s recall moves by his constituency has taken a new dimension as a student of Kogi State Polytechnic, Saka Seidu, was shot dead during a protest rally staged in Lokoja by the embattled Senator over his ordeal.

Senator Melaye who was in Lokoja on Monday to address his supporters on his recall was greeted with sporadic gun shots by thugs that lasted over one hour at the gate of the state polytechnic venue of the rally.

Dino had arrived the gate of the state polytechnic, Felele at about 11am to the waiting hands of his supporters mostly youths when midway into the address, sporadic gunshots were heard from the NATACO end of the Okene/Abuja road.

Our correspondent who witnessed the whole episode reports that one of the thugs, bearing a pump action gun was shooting into the crowd of students coming from school leading to many of them injured.

The exchange of the gun fire lasted over one hour before the arrival of security agents that brought the horrible situation under control

Governor Yahaya Bello who immediately visited the scene of the incident on company of the Commissioner of Police Wilson Inalegwu ,condemned the dastardly act assuring that government would not relent in ensuring that those behind the shooting would be brought to book.

Bello expressed gratitude to the State police command who have given its readiness to investigate the matter in order to fish out the perpetrators of the violence.

He warned youths in the state not to allow themselves to be used by the politicians to perpetrate evil advising that they should rather strive to embark on ventures that could make them self-reliant.

The governor sympathized with the parents of the deceased student with a promise that government must fish out the killer of their son.

Also speaking on the ugly development, a student youth leader in the state, comrade Oladele Niki expressed shock over the brutal killing of one of their colleagues and appealed to the security agents in the state to investigate the circumstances that led to the sporadic gun shots during Senator Dino Melaye’s protest rally in Lokoja.

The students leader urged his colleagues to use the incident as a lesson to resist any attempt by selfish politicians to lure them into carrying out dirty jobs.

Though the governor confirmed the death of the students the police is yet to ascertain the actual number of persons killed

The state Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, who also confirmed that some of his men were shot, assured that thorough investigation into the matter has commenced.

The Police boss ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of criminal investigation to lead the inquiry and promised to deal with anybody found culpable without fear or favour.

He also warned politicians and groups against organising rallies or protests without Police permission .He said if the organisers of yesterday’s rally such ugly situation would not had occured

All efforts to get Senator Dino for his comments on the unfortunate incidence failed as all his mobile lines could not connect