By Safiyat Muhammed | The Bureau News
Tension flared in Kogi State earlier today as suspected pro-government thugs, numbering about eight, set ablaze the flag of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in a brazen show of intimidation.
Thugs Issue Death Threats
In a viral video seen by The Bureau News, the thugs openly declared their readiness to kill anyone who dares to oppose or “sabotage” their agenda. They warned ADC members and other opposition supporters not to cross their path, vowing to trace political opponents to their homes if necessary.
Kogi’s Troubled Political Past
The incident has revived memories of Kogi’s violent political history. In 2019, Mrs. Salome Acheju Abuh, a PDP women leader, was gruesomely burnt alive in her home by political thugs. That same election cycle, Master Daniel Usman, a 300-level student of Kogi State University, was shot dead in what many observers still describe as the bloodiest election in Kogi State’s history.
Growing Concerns Ahead of Elections
The latest violence raises fears of renewed political unrest ahead of future elections. Civil society groups and human rights advocates have long warned that unchecked political thuggery poses a grave danger to democracy and peaceful participation in Nigeria.
As of press time, there has been no official reaction from either the ADC leadership or the Kogi State Government regarding the incident.