Family members of late Governor Abubakar Audu of Kogi State were arrested by the police for alleged “culpable homicide, robbery and mischief”, a spokesperson for the police in that state has told PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr. Audu’s eldest son, Mohammed, and some 15 other family members were arrested on Wednesday.
The spokesperson, who merely identified himself as ASP Ovye, confirmed the arrest on Thursday morning.
He had earlier told this newspaper that he needed time to contact the relevant police unit for information on the arrest.
He said the arrests were effected by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS.
Mr. Ovye did not give details. He advised further questions be directed to the state Commissioner of Police, Abdullahi Ibrahim.
Contacted, Mr. Ibrahim said the police were “still investigating” the matter.
“It’s after investigation that we will tell you,” he told PREMIUM TIMES. “What I know is that they were reported and we acted.”

Asked when the arrested persons would be charged to court, he said “when we complete investigation”. He declined further comments.
But this newspaper understands that the arrests followed an attack on Mr. Audu’s younger brother.
Yahaya Audu, the late governor’s brother, represented the family at the Kogi State’s 25th anniversary ceremony on August 28.
He was physically attacked on his return to Ogbonicha, the ancestral home of the Audus in Ofu Local Government Area, by community members aggrieved with Governor Yahaya Bello’s government, PREMIUM TIMES understands.
A day after the anniversary ceremony, Mohammed, late Audu’s eldest son, in a statement on behalf of the family, mocked the governor and said he should have used resources meant for the ceremony to pay workers.
The Audu family believes Mr. Bello “ordered” the arrests, Mustapha Audu, Mohammed’s younger brother, said.
But Mr. Bello denied masterminding the arrests in a statement yesterday.
He said the police should be free to work, and that politics should not be linked with criminality.
Mohammed Audu is fighting through the courts alongside James Faleke to remove Mr. Bello as Kogi Governor.
Mr. Faleke was the running mate to late Mr. Audu on the APC ticket in last year’s governorship election.
After Mr. Audu’s sudden death the day after the poll, the party drafted Mr. Bello in to continue as its candidate in the supplementary election.
Mr. Faleke believes he should have automatically become the party’s candidate after Mr. Audu’s death. He has asked the Supreme Court to declare him governor after lower courts ruled against him.

So called leaders and their offsprings of abomination.. Mtcheeewww!

Mohammed Audu, the arrested son of ex Kogi state governor, Abubakar Audu was on Thursday arraigned before a Lokoja Magistrates’ Court.

He was charged with criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt, mischief, armed robbery and attempted culpable homicide, which the police say is contrary to sections 97(1), 248, 327, 298 and 229 of the Penal Code.

The prosecutor, Mr Gabriel Otowu, said Mohammed allegedly committed the offences against his uncle, Prince Yahaya Audu, on Aug. 30, in the family house at Ogbonicha, Ofu Local Government Area.

He said that in the First Information Report (FIR) Yahaya alleged that hoodlums armed with guns, cutlasses and axe criminally conspired and invaded his compound pretending to be visitors.

He alleged that Yahaya, and one Ibrahim Imman ignorantly welcomed the people, who asked him to give them “something no matter how small”.

The prosecutor said that as the complainant walked toward his vehicle to give them money, the people attacked him from behind with a machete and “thoroughly” beat him up.

He said that the suspects inflicted injuries on the complainant and shot sporadically into the air.

Otowu said that the complainant fell to the ground and pretended to be dead and the hoodlums attempted to carry him before he ran into the bush and escaped.

The prosecutor further said that the complainant and Imman sustained bullet wounds and were later rushed to the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, for treatment.

Prior to the attack; Mohammed had threatened to deal with Yahaya, he said.

The judge granted Mohammed a bail of N100, 000, and adjourned the matter to Sept. 29 for further mention.

Yahaya Bello has gone mad again... I can't see how the attack on Audu's concerns Muhammed.

Fact, Yahaya Bello can't win this

TonyeBarcanista:
Yahaya Bello has gone mad again... I can't see how the attack on Audu's concerns Muhammed.

Fact, Yahaya Bello can't win this

the story sounds like Nigerian movie script...... Bello has disappointed the ebira nation, killed their chances of ever winning anything again. the youth are embarrassed by his conduct, thus, questioning the preparedness of the youth to participate in governance.

Ruuhh:


the story sounds like Nigerian movie script...... Bello has disappointed the ebira nation, killed their chances of ever winning anything again. the youth are embarrassed by his conduct, thus, questioning the preparedness of the youth to participate in governance.

Yahaya Bello should NEVER be used as a benchmark in leadership, he is there by accident not because Kogi people or Ebira chose him. James Faleke is the legitimate candidate for the seat. APC and their love for illegality and internal power fraud

This is just a family matter that should be resolved at the family level. Charging the son of the man who legitimately won the election before Bello usurped the mandate for armed robbery, culpable homicide etc is extremely silly. The governor should withdraw the case and stop attracting unnecessary condemnation to his government.

seunmsg:
This is just a family matter that should be resolved at the family level. Charging the son of the man who legitimately won the election before Bello usurped the mandate for armed robbery, culpable homicide etc is extremely silly. The governor should withdraw the case and stop attracting unnecessary condemnation to his government.

if he had sense, he would have but Bello will be Bello. lol

TonyeBarcanista:
Yahaya Bello should NEVER be used as a benchmark in leadership, he is there by accident not because Kogi people or Ebira chose him. James Faleke is the legitimate candidate for the seat. APC and their love for illegality and internal power fraud

its not as easy as that...Faleke would have lost in court and PDP would have won...he didn't contest primary,so unfortunately he wont have won d court course

babyfaceafrica:
its not as easy as that...Faleke would have lost in court and PDP would have won...he didn't contest primary,so unfortunately he wont have won d court course

truth be told. the election was completely won by Audu before his death given that the reason given by inec for announcing inconclusive election was null. Yahaya Bello is not a registered voter in the state but Faleke transfered his info before the election n voted, thus, qualifying him to claim the votes. PDP would've had no case had the status quote remained, nonetheless, going into the supplementary poll with a new candidate has spoilt their case. overall, the constitution n the electoral act are clashing here, on one hand there is an unqualified Bello who actively participated in the primaries n empowered by the electoral act and on the other hand is Faleke who is qualified to inherit constitutionally but didn't participate in the primaries, either ways, inec's decision either be overridden or outright cancellation of the poll. in any of the two, Bello is a gonner.