Minister waant security agencies to investigate Ilorin killings

The Minister of National Planning Commission, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman;
the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kwara
State, Chief Rex Olawoye; and the Chairman of the All Progressives
Congress in the state, Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani on Sunday
condemned the renewed wave of killings, political intimidation and
attack in the state.
Abubakar, while reacting to last Friday's killing of Alfa Saadudeen of
Kuntu area, believed to be a PDP supporter in Ilorin West Local
Government Area of the state, described the action as strange and
alien to Ilorin culture.
Sulaiman, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media,
Abdulrahman Abdulrauf, urged the security agencies to probe the
killing with a view to apprehending and prosecuting the culprits.
He said, "While we sympathise with the family of the deceased, we want
to reiterate that politics is not a do-or-die affair and God gives
power to whom He so pleases.
"So, people can't afford to take laws into their hands. The security
agencies must not fold their arms in the face of this growing
intimidation and attack on our supporters.
"To avert any possible breakdown of law and order, the security
agencies should live up to their billings. They should probe deep into
the killing of Saadudeen, with a view to bringing the perpetrators of
the dastardly act to book. This show of shame is certainly not in our
culture in Ilorin. Ours is a culture of live and let others live."
Sulaiman added, "In as much as we preach and embrace peace among our
supporters, those who take delight in carrying out heinous acts, such
as the killing of the innocent citizen Saadu, as it happened last
Friday, must also be brought to justice.
"The pulling down of our posters by the APC hirelings who were doing
their masters' bidding cannot stop the wind of change blowing across
the state."
Balogun-Fulani called on the state Police Command to protect its
members from a series of attacks by thugs suspected to belong to the
PDP in the state.
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He noted that thugs, suspected to belong to the PDP, allegedly
attacked the advance team of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed's campaign
train at Isaja, Ekiti Local Government Area of the state, which is the
home town of the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Simeon Ajibola.
He also said that the APC members, including the governor and his
campaign team had been attacked by other thugs suspected to belong and
sponsored by some prominent members and candidates of the PDP.
He expressed worry over the alleged inability of the Nigeria Police,
Kwara State Command, to stem the politically-motivated attacks. He
appealed to the police to ensure the protection of the APC members and
arrest and prosecute culprits.
He also appealed to the police to caution Ajibola and other PDP
members to stem the tide of political violence in the state.
Olawoye said neither Ajibola nor members of the PDP were behind the attacks.
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