Police accused of releasing murder suspects

THE murder of one of the supporters of the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Kogi central senatorial district, Ojo Enesi, by suspected thugs assumed a new dimension on Monday as the police were accused of releasing the people arrested in connection with the crime.

Two people (Named withheld) were said to have been arrested by the police last Saturday following which they allegedly made confessional statements linking them to the crime.

Enesi, one of the supporters of the SDP candidate, Natasha Akpoti, was killed by suspected hoodlums in Ihima, Okehi local government area of Kogi state on January 11.

A source at Kogi State Police Headquarters, Lokoja disclosed that the suspects had earlier confessed to working for a local government administrator from the central senatorial district (Names withheld) and revealed that they are part of the thugs that launched an attack on the supporters of Akpoti.

Already, the video recording of the interrogation of one of the suspects has gone viral on the social media.

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The video, which showed police officers interrogating the suspect in handcuffs, also revealed him telling the police that Enesi was attacked and killed because of political banners of the SDP candidate.

The source at the police headquarters, however, said the suspects, who are from Ihima are known thugs of the administrator, who had benefited cars and motorcycles which they use in their operations in Ihima axis of OKehi local government area.

The suspects were however alleged to have been released following the intervention of some people in government, who were also accused of conveying them back to Ihima in a security Hilux van.

It was further gathered that upon their return to Ihima, the hoodlums started shooting sporadically in the air to announce their release, the shooting was said to have lasted till early morning of Sunday.

Reacting to the development, Kogi State Commissioner of police, Akeem Busari, said the command was still investigating the murder of Enesi.

The police commissioner, who did not confirm or deny the arrest of any suspect in connection with the killing said, “we are still investigating the matter.”

When the commissioner was further probed on the latest development he said, “we are investigating.”