SaharaReporters had reported on Monday that Shafiu, a loyalist of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for Kogi Central Senatorial District, was identified as one of the persons allegedly abducted by gunmen at Trademore Estate.
A woman identified as Aisha Shafiu has narrated how Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, allegedly sent hoodlums to abduct her husband, Ibrahim Shafiu, because he defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).
SaharaReporters had reported on Monday that Shafiu, a loyalist of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for Kogi Central Senatorial District, was identified as one of the persons allegedly abducted by gunmen at Trademore Estate.
In a video seen by SaharaReporters, Aisha narrated how armed gunmen invaded their house in October and took away many gadgets and N350,000.
She said, “Good days Nigerians. My name is Mr Shafiu Aisha. The wife of Ibrahim Fari Shafiu, the man that was abducted on the 24th of October at Lugbe Trade Mall Estate, Abuja. I’m here to plead with Nigerians to come to my rescue. Since 31 days now, I have not seen my husband and my junior brother.
“On the 24th of October, 2022, heavily armed men broke in to our house and started molesting us; we were shown self-identification claiming to be DSS, we assessed the numbers when they came in, I and my mother-in-law, my kids and my junior brother alongside my neighbour’s children. They tied us down and started beating us. They scattered everywhere. They packed our phones and our laptop and the sum of N350,000 from the house.
“My children are just three years and six years old; for the past 31days, they have not seen their father, they have been crying and asking for their father. Kogi State government is behind my husband’s abduction because a day after Salah, my husband went home to launch a campaign saying “no to violence and political thuggery in Ebira land.”
“Ever since then, he has been receiving threats from Kogi State Governor, and Chief of Staff; also in early October, he defected from the APC to PDP and that was what led to his abduction. I’m pleading with the Nigerians to come to my rescue. President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice Presidents, and NGOs, please come to my rescue for the past 31 days I’ve not seen my husband; my children are crying. I’m currently pregnant and my brother that was abducted with my husband was supposed to be in school for his clearance, he’s a student of Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Business administration and I was supposed to be in Camp now for my NYSC.
“I have not been able to print out my colour printer because my code is in my e-mail; I can’t access my e-mail without my phone because of my password; I’ve been traumatised since then and I cannot remember my password; I’ve been in and out of the hospital because of the way they molested us. My mother-in-law is looking for treatment, since then, she has not been feeling too well too. I am pleading with Nigerians to come to my rescue, President Mohammed Buhari, Vice President, to help me plead with the Kogi state Governor to free my husband and my Junior brother. They are innocent, they have not done anything wrong,” she pleaded.
The governor had in the recent past openly boasted that whoever wanted to compete with the APC in the state would have himself or herself to blame, while adding that he would use firearms on the political opponents.
SaharaReporters on October 19 reported that Bello threatened to use firepower on members of the opposition political parties in the state ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Speaking in Ajaokuta after inaugurating a vigilante group, Bello had said he was standing on the initial threat he made to deal with anyone saying bad things about his administration in the state.
A source had told SaharaReporters that members of the vigilante group were being trained to do “dirty job” for the ruling All Progressives Congress and attack opposition parties before and during the elections.
Bello was said to have inaugurated same security team few months to the last elections in the state.
"Be it in the state or the federal level and you think you have connection that you can use here in Kogi, unless it’s not I, Yahaya Bello that’s in charge of this government. I want to reinstate that the ‘Ira Chenyin’ I said the other time is something I mean,” the governor said.
“For that, everyone should caution his or her child and every child should caution their parents. I mean what I said the other time, firepower. Whoever thinks that the firepower I mentioned the other time is a joke, I’m well prepared. Talk is cheap. It’s time for elections, all the candidates, all our party flag bearers, from Senate, to Reps, to Assembly, they are not the ones contesting, I, Yahaya is the one contesting. So those contesting against them are contesting against me who have chosen them.”
In December 2019, thugs said to be loyal to Bello and the ruling APC burnt opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s women leader, Salome Abuh, to death over some scuffle during the governorship election.
In April 2021, violent youths working for the Kogi governor descended on two middle-aged protesters who were pasting Buhari-Must-Go posters in Lokoja.
The APC youths flogged the two protesters, filmed them and brutalised them before they were later handed over to policemen.
A few days later, the state government in a statement supported mob action against the youths, saying they were from Benue State.