Barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a ‘scrupulous investigation’ of the murder of Mrs. Salome Abuh, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) women leader in Ochadamu, Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi, the state Police Command said it has arrested six suspects in connection with the killing
Abuh, former councillor and Women Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was set ablaze on November 18 in her husband’s house at Ochadamu, by suspected All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters.
Spokesman for the command, DSP William Aya said in Lokoja, yesterday, that the suspects were brought in on Friday.
Aya said the police had started interrogating the suspects to ascertain their level of culpability in the death of the woman.
He said that the outcome of the investigation wound be made public as soon as it was completed.
President Buhari had on Sunday directed the police to arrest the killers with a view to bringing them to justice.
Abuh, 60, was sleeping in her home when political thugs, set the building alight shortly before sunset last Monday, in what the police believe was a reprisal.
Her murder two days after the violence-ridden Kogi governorship election increased the fatalities from the election.
At least 10 people were reported killed in election-related violence in the state during the November 16 governorship election in the state.
The APC won the governorship election and its officials have repeatedly claimed that the election was transparent and violence-free despite all the evidence to the contrary.
Buhari’s reaction to the murder was contained in a statement by his spokesperson, Femi Adesina,
“President Muhammadu Buhari expects scrupulous investigation into the heinous murder of Madam Achejuh Abuh, Woman Leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Wada/Aro campaign council, in the just concluded gubernatorial election in Kogi State,” Mr Adesina said.
“The president decries whatever could spur anyone to take the life of another human being, particularly a woman, who was burnt to death in her home in the most gruesome manner.”
Mr Adesina said President Buhari charged “all security agencies involved in the investigation to do a thorough and expeditious job on the matter, so that justice could be served without fear or favour.”
“We must learn to behave decently, whether during elections or at other times. No life should be taken wantonly under any guise, and the fact that this reprehensible act occurred two days after voting shows primitive behaviour, which should not be accepted in a decent society,” he quoted the president as saying.
He said Buhari sympathized with family of the deceased, and vowed that the law would catch up with the malefactors and justice would be served.
“Any descent to barbarism, as was visited on the PDP Woman Leader has gone out of the realm of politics, and is pure criminality and bestiality.
“Such evildoers must be brought to justice, irrespective of whatever allegiances they hold,” Mr Buhari was quoted to have said.
