Arsonists set fire to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) campaign office in Lokoja, Kogi state’s capital.

Suspected thugs were said to have stormed the party office in the state capital’s Paparanda Square on IBB Driveway around midnight.

According to witnesses, the attackers chased away the campaign office’s security guards before setting fire to the party office.

Valuables and documents were among the items destroyed. Vehicles parked inside the campaign headquarters were also set on fire.

The SDP Deputy governorship candidate for the November 11gubernatorial election, Dr Sam Ranti Abenemi,

said: “The hoodlums came in large numbers and set all the properties in the office on fire, including generators, computers, campaign materials, and televisions”.

However, he called on the party’s supporters to remain calm, stressing that the party would address the issue at the appropriate quarters.

Meanwhile, the Director, Communication of the SDP standard bearer, Faruk Adejoh-Audu, said;

We invite the world and all people of good conscience to come to the aid of Kogi State by rising to condemn these sustained brazen acts of abuse of power.

This trend has continued despite our repeated outcries and formal complaint to the security agencies against the known perpetrators of this acts of extreme electoral violence.

We have again formally incidented another complaint at the Kogi State Police Command for whatever it is worth but we have no confidence in the ability of security agencies in Lokoja to rein in this arsonists.

PPRO (Police Public Relations Officer) in Kogi, SP William Aya, who was contacted about the incident, promised to contact our reporter but had not done so as of the time this story was filed.

Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, the SDP’s standard bearer, was reportedly stopped in Lokoja on his way from Idah to Abuja on Sunday to inspect the burnt office, which was vandalized on June 9, 2023.