Angered by killings in Kogi East by the Navy Commander Nicholas Akalieze-led thugs on Thursday last week at Ejule in Ofu Local Government Council, Colonel Suleman Babanawa (rtd) has revealed that he took protest to governor Yahaya Bello’s house in Abuja, urging him to stop the carnage going on in Igala land.
Babanawa in a video which was obtained by CAPITAL POST in Lokoja on Monday said, he was reacting to concerns expressed by people over rumours making the round that he has defected to the All Progressives Congress.
The rumour was triggered by the group photograph of Col. Babanawa, governor Yahaya Bello, Deputy governor, Chief Edward David Onoja, the APC governorship candidate for Kogi State, Ododo Ahmed Usman, Chairman of Olamaboro Local Government Council, former governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Joseph Erico suggesting that he has defected.
He said: “My compatriots, I realise that so many people have been worried about the trending photograph of my movement to the house of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello this evening. While I owe you explanation, I wish to say that I owe no body apology for that because I did the best I can for Igala people.
“Here is a nation that can be envisaged with all kinds of violence these past few days and I thought I should get in contact with all meaning senior officers and other people with a view to requesting them to come with me to see Alhaji Yahaya Bello to stop carnage that is presently going on in Kogi East.”
Babanawa revealed that some notable Igala politicians were afraid to sign petitions with him after a raid at Ejule that led to the deaths of Bala Okwo Kabir, a house wife, Atima Abdullahi and other innocent lives, stressing that he was emboldened to protest to Yahaya Bello’s house in Abuja, on Sunday evening and urged him to stop the carnage going on in Igala land.
“When nobody was ready to even sign a petition against the attack in our land, I decided, I have to see the governor to stop him to stop what is going on in Igala land. They gave me appointment for 5.30pm, I was there by 6.00pm and I was ushered in. I met the Deputy governor, my Local Government Chairman and Mr Joseph Erico sitting before I came. I literally ran into them and at a stage, I requested the governor that I need to talk to him privately and he excused his Deputy, my LG Chairman and Mr. Erico and we entered into a discussion.
“The summary is that I protested in very strong terms the incursion into my place and why Igala land has become home to criminals and why the military is sent to do what they did especially the one that happened in Ejule in Ofu Local Government Council.
“Of course, you are aware of how people fear at home as some people dressed up and led by the Navy Commander Nicholas Akalieze to carry out havoc in my place. My going to Yahaya Bello is purely my conviction that I could talk to him to stop security men from doing what they are doing in my place.
Col. Suleman Babanawa and Ododo Ahmed Usman in handshake
“If anybody think that my movement was for pecuniary reason or any other reasons, other than patriotic reasons, such a person is mistaken. I am irrevocably committed to Alhai Murtala Yakubu Ajaka as the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, 2023 contest.
“As I said earlier, I owe you explanation because I see that you are worried when you are saying that, has Baba deserted; has Baba betrayed, I will never desert, I will never betray. I have chosen this part and I want to believe that this strategic move is to save my people and if I am going for it, I will bear my brunt.”
