The Police Command in Kogi on Wednesday declared one late Muhammad Kassim and six other arrested suspects as cultists and arms runners in the State.
The command in a statement signed by its spokesman, SP Williams Ovye-Aya, in Lokoja, debunked insinuations that Kassim was killed in cold blood.
Mr Isaiah Ijele, Publicity Secretary of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi, in a statement he signed, condemned the killing of Kassim, whom he referred to as a “Regional Youths Leader.”
Ijele had accused the police of killing him in a circumstance that suggests a politically motivated act, and demanded justice.
Ovye-Aya debunked Ijele’s claims, stressing that the Nigeria Police Force, Kogi command wishes to set the records straight on the unverified report being circulated on social media on the death of Kassim aka Enemi of Idah, Kogi.
Following a legal intercept from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in Abuja, which indicted one Mohammed Amedu as a member of a syndicate dealing in arms and ammunition operating within and outside Kogi, and the eventual arrest of one of the principal suspects by DSS Operatives on June 22.
He said the suspect confessed to the alleged crime and mentioned Kashim aka Enemi of Idah town, and others as members of the arms running syndicate.
The spokesman said that when Kassim was sighted in a particular location in Idah, the operatives immediately swung into action to arrest him. Still, he vigorously resisted arrest because he was in the midst of other young men suspected to be his gang members.
According to him, Kassim took to his heels and was given a hot chase.
Ovye-Aya emphasised that the investigation into the case is still in progress and all suspects arrested in connection with the alleged crime will be arraigned in a competent court of jurisdiction for prosecution on completion of the investigation.
