By Rosemary Baba
Three witnesses associated with Olayinka Braimoh, the Action Alliance (AA) Governorsip Candidate of Kogi State who were billed to testify at the ongoing Kogi State Governorship Petition Tribunal have been allegedly abducted by some hoodlums.
The incident occurred at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja, where the Kogi State Governorsip Tribunal is seating
The three abducted witnesses have been identified as Idris Khadijat, Safiyat Muhammed, and Abdulmalik Muhammed. Available information indicates that the abductees are currently being molested, with their family members similarly being threatened, for daring to testify against Kogi State governor Alh Ododo Ahmed.
As at the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of other witnesses are still unknown.
Reports also suggested that vehicles which conveyed the witnesses to the court proceedings were vandalized by the same thugs.
It was gathered that the attack was carried out due to the strength of AA candidate’s petition as evidences being presented are strong enough for the court to unseat Ododo Ahmed, the governor of the state.
Radio stations in the central senatorial district in recent broadcast warned the residents against serving as witnesses for any political party other than APC.
The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, had relocated the Kogi Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal from Lokoja to Abuja.
The relocation was not unconnected with security breaches against members of staff of the tribunal who have been attacked on several occasions in Loloja.