From Tunde Blessing, Lokoja
Less than 24 hours to
the official commissioning of the constituency projects of Senator Dino Melaye
, four critical projects have been set
ablaze and destroyed in Lokoja, the Kogi State Capital.
The embattled Senator Melaye had scheduled to commission his
constituency projects this week as part of efforts to appreciate the people of
his constituency for their support during his recall and stint with the police.
Sources hinted that early on Tuesday, unknown hoodlums had
issued a warning note to Senator Dino Melaye to stay away from Kogi.
It was gathered that the pamphlet was shared at the house of
a Lokoja prominent politician during a naming ceremony early hours of yesterday.
As part of efforts to make their threat come true, unknown
arsonists besieged Seriki Numa Local Government Primary School and set ablaze part of a block of four
classrooms and destroyed three others.
As if that was not enough to spite the senator representing
Kogi West, the unknown miscreants went ahead to destroy another block of four
class rooms leaving the ceiling, windows, white boards and all ceiling fans badly
damaged.
Reacting to the ugly incident, the Kogi State government condemned
in strong terms the destruction.
The Director General,
Media and Publicity to the state governor, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo who spoke on
behalf of government during an assessment tour of the burnt facility also said
the state government has directed security operatives to fish out the
arsonists.
The four constituency projects which are four blocks of
classroom each at Government Girls secondary school, Sarkin Numa; Lokongoma
Secondary School, Phase 1; and Adankolo Secondary school; all in Lokoja.
"Government condemns the incident. Education is the
leading thematic area of the state government and so will not allow any
elements derail it.
"Irrespective of who is doing the project, the fund is
from the government. So weather it is the executive or legislative, such
projects should rather be applauded and not destroyed.
"We have directed the security operatives to access the
situation, get to the root of the matter, unraveled the perpetrators and bring
the culprits to book.
"Government will take a decisive action to ensure that
the arsonists do not go scout free."
The state commissioner for Education, Mrs. Rosemary Osikoya
who was part of the government officials that visited the sites said government
will not rest until the perpetrators are fished out.
"Exams are ongoing and these building have being used
since January 2018. We expect that people will respect the sanctity of
education.
"This act is masterminded and not accidental. The buildings
were burnt including the chairs. If not for some serving Corps members around
who tried to put out the flame it would have been worse than this.
"We appeal to everybody to collaborate with us in education
and not use it as a meeting point for political sabotage. This is a dastard act,
the state interest should be paramount rather than the individual political
ego.
The State Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of
operations, DCP Monday Kuryas who was also at hand narrated that the hoodlums
forced their way into the buildings.
He said the acts was premeditated as the arsonists braced
with tyres burnt down the building and damaged some other structures.
He said the police are already investigating the matter and
will soon apprehend the arsonists.
The projects damaged were due for commissioning by the
senator on Tuesday as part of his legacy projects at the senate.
Following the destruction of projects, the senator may have
been told to put the commissioning on hold
But the senator on Tuesday said he had received threat
messages by some political thugs who said he should not come to Lokoja the
state capital to commission any project because he had deface the state with
his unbridled behaviour at the senator.
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