Tension In Kogi State Over The Arrest Of Funsho Olumoko, Former Chairman Of Ijumu LGA

There is tension in Kogi state following the arrest of Funsho Olumoko, former chairman of Ijumu local government area of the state. Vanguard reports that police apprehended Olumoko in his Ekinrin Adde residence at about 1.30am on Tuesday, March 22, and took him to an unknown destination.

Heavily armed police officers were said to have come in four Hilux vans, used a ladder to climb the fence, smashed the doors of the residence, broke into the ceilings and eventually took Olumoko. 

Yesterday, March 21, Olumoko who is described as brother of James Faleke, the running mate to late Abubakar Audu in the 2015 Kogi governorship election, addressed a press conference.

 Speaking on behalf of the community, he strongly criticized Governor Yahaya Bello for trying to repaint and rename the primary health centre built in the community by the federal government in 2007 as a new project to be commissioned by the governor’s wife on Tuesday.

 “There is no justification for whatsoever visit by Alhaji Yahaya Bello or his wife to our community now, in view of the circumstances sorrounding the mandate which he presently holds, the status of our son, Hon. J A Faleke, in the last governorship election as the perceived rightful owner of the governorship mandate, and consequently the likely security implication of such a visit to Hon Faleke’s home town under the prevailing circumstances.

 “The idea of the visit was fraudulently conceived to find an excuse by Alhaji Yahaya Bello to rub insult on the injury inflicted on us as a community by the daylight robbery of the mandate freely given to Audu/Faleke joint ticket of which our son, Hon J A Faleke is the only living rightful custodian of that mandate,” he said.

Meanwhile, Faleke has recently revealed that he has evidence to proof Governor Bello is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. Faleke made this claim as he mounted the witness box to testify in support of the petition he lodged before the Kogi state governorship election petition tribunal, sitting in Abuja.