Suspected gunmen launched an attack on the residence of Dr. Hale Gabriel Longpet, the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Commissioner in Lokoja, in the early hours of Friday with an apparent intent to eliminate him.
According to reports from our correspondent in Kogi, the INEC Resident Commissioner narrowly escaped harm as security personnel engaged the attackers in a 30-minute gun battle before additional forces arrived.
While no casualties were reported, the violent encounter resulted in significant damage to property estimated to worth millions of naira due to the gunfire exchanged during the attack.
Confirming the incident, the INEC headquarters acknowledged the assault on the resident commissioner in Kogi. The scene has since been cordoned off by a substantial deployment of security operatives, providing heavy protection to the commission’s residence.
The commissioner had reportedly refused funds from government sources intended for logistics just a week before an election. Sources within the INEC office in Lokoja revealed that the resident commissioner had consciously distanced himself from political affiliations throughout the governorship election, potentially causing friction with influential figures, possibly leading to the attempt on his life.
