Kogi Governorship Election: Police DIG reverses the deployment of Governor Yahaya Bello’s ex-ADC to coordinate the protection of election materials

The Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) Abdulmajid Ali has announced that the deployment of Usman Shugaba, a former Aide de Camp (ADC) to Governor Yahaya Bello to supervise the Governorship election has been reversed after the Nigerian police was petitioned by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Shugaba who was transferred out of the state before the Governorship election scheduled to hold on Saturday November 16, was deployed back to the state to coordinate the protection of election materials and officials of INEC at the Registration Area Centres (RACs), leading to an outcry by the PDP. 

Speaking to newsmen on Thursday November 14, Abdulmajid said the deployment was nullified after the complaint by the PDP. He further disclosed that Kogi State's Commissioner of Police who is under his command did not consult him before deploying his own men for the election. 

“We got the information yesterday through the social media that one CSP Usman was deployed to supervise INEC’s election in Kogi State,” the DIG said.

“CSP Usman is posted to Kogi State. There was a small mix up. He is under a Commissioner of Police of the Protection Unit. The CP did not consult the headquarters that is the Operations Department before deploying its own men.

“What we did yesterday when we got the information was to cancel that posting and that he is not allowed and not permitted.

“We have already made posting of someone that should be there before we saw this.

“The CP has no right whatsoever…the CP is under my command and he cannot exercise such power without contacting me. So, for not doing that, that posting was cancelled and declared null and void.

“I have AC Evans who was originally posted to INEC and he has been the redoing his job.”

Austin Okai, the Deputy Director on Media and Publicity for the PDP campaign confirmed that development but stated that Shugaba is still in Kogi despite his redeployment. 

“What we want the IG to do is to ensure that he is made to leave the state before he creates problems,” Mr Okai said.