Kogi Assembly Compex gutted by fire
The Kogi State Assembly has been gutted by fire on Monday.
The fire was said to have started at about 8 am on Monday, October 10, 2022, leaving the assembly gallery completely burnt.
The cause of the fire incident was unknown at the time of filing this report on Monday morning,
The Speaker of the House, Prince Mathew Kolawole, while speaking to journalists at the assembly complex said the house will allow security agencies to investigate the incident.
He, however, said this would not stop the assembly from performing its duty as the resolution of the house concerning Dangote Cement Plc stands.
Earlier, on October 5, 2022, the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) sealed Dangote Cement factory in Obajana, Kogi State.
The action was reportedly backed by the Kogi State House of Assembly.
Kingsley Fanwo, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, was quoted as saying: “Pursuant to the Constitutional authorities of the Kogi State House of Assembly, and upon petition by the people of Kogi State, an investigation was carried out on the acquisition of Obajana Cement Company by Dangote Company.
“It was found that no valid acquisition took place, as Dangote could not show evidence of what was paid as consideration for the acquisition.
On October 6, at least seven staff members of the Dangote Cement factory, located in Obajana Kogi State were reportedly shot, while several others were left with injuries when about 500 armed men invaded the plant.
A source, who identified some of the men as thugs, alleged that most of them were drawn from the State vigilante and hunters who have been working for the Kogi State Government.
According to a statement by Dangote Group, the vigilante group members were wielding arms of different kinds, including local, and assorted rifles.
the statement from Dangote Group’s Corporate Communications Department stated that the vigilantes’ group was led by the state director-general of Lands, Nasir Ochi, security adviser to the governor, Com. Jerry Omodara (rtd) and other top officials of Kogi State government.
It was also noted that residents and passersby scampered for safety on sight of the invaders. The statement also confirmed that 7 staff members of the cement company were being attended to at the hospitals over the gunshot wounds inflicted on them.
On October 7, the Management of Dangote Cement Plc, appealed to all its staff and customers to remain calm while the company explored all possible legal steps to address the illegal shutdown of its Obajana plant by the Kogi government.
No link has been put around the controversy between Dangote Cement and Kogi State Government.