The Arrest of Mohammed Ohiare

Police Arrest Senator, Reps for Electoral Violence
From Wole Ayodele in Lokoja, 07.29.2007



Senator Salihu Ohize (AC) representing Kogi Central Senatorial districts, two members of the House of Represen-tatives, Hon. A.K. Salihu and Hon. Suleiman Abdul Kokori, both members of the Action Congress (AC) representing Okene/Ogori-Magogo Federal Constitutency were last Friday arrested by the police.
The Federal legislators and three others were arrested in connection with the violent crisis which engulfed Kogi Central Senatorial district shortly after the last April general elections.
Others arrested alongside the legislators are a former Senator and AC gubernatorial candidate in the last election, Mohammed Ohiare and a traditional ruler, Chief Ohimonozi of Kuroko
Though details of their arrest are still very sketchy as at the time of filling this report, THISDAY learnt in Lokoja that the AC chieftains were being detained at the Force Headquar-ters in Abuja to explain their roles in the violent clashes that erupted in the area. The post-election violence in Kogi Central district had led to loss of lives and destruction of properties worth billions of naira.
Ohiare and Ohize, who were the leaders of AC in Kogi Central were alleged to have sponsored the violent clashes in the area.
Both men have persistently denied the allegation and described it as blackmail by their political rivals.
Confirming the arrest to THISDAY in a telephone interview yesterday, Kogi State AC Chairman, Chief Mike Adeleye said the arrest and detention of the AC leaders is part of the strategies of the PDP chapter in the state to weaken the support base of the party and assassinate the character of it’s leaders. “We are not surprised by the development.
PDP has been doing everything to frustrate the party in the State including the on-going petition at the Tribunal where AC Counsel and witnesses’ lives were being threatened.
But we will remain undaunted and focused in the face of any persecution”, said Adeleye. However, in a telephone interview with THISDAY, Chief Press Secretary to Kogi State Deputy Governor, Mr. T.Y. Itopa said the arrest and detention of the AC chieftains are justified.
“They should be made to account for the wanton destruction of lives and properties that trailed the gubernatorial election in Ebira land. Besides those that were killed, others were maimed and rendered homeless while not a few people are still living in exile in Lokoja till date” he said.
Among those whose property were destroyed in the crises that engulfed the area in the wake of the election are the Dr. Farouk Abdulazeez, Deda Atta (a gubernatorial aspirant of AC who decamped to PDP few weeks to the election) and Alhaji Abdulrahman Badamasuiy.