Chairman of Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State, Abuh Odoma, and two others accused of promoting violence have shunned police invitation to defend allegations levelled against them at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
In a petition seen by SaharaReporters, Odoma was accused of promoting acts of insecurity in Kogi State despite being chief security officer of the council area.
Counsel representing some attacked individuals, Isiaka Ibrahim & Associates, petitioned the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja, who invited him to appear at the police headquarters.
The petition reads, “Our clients on several occasion had reported the case between them and Chief Alhasan to the police at Idah and on such occasion, the chairman Abuh Odoma would go to the Area Commander, Nigeria Police Idah, to subvert the course of justice by telling the senior police officer that he is the chief security officer of the local government and instructed his people to write petition against the commander.
“More worrisome is the fact that the nepotic conduct of Odoma is connected to the fact that the said Chief Alhasan Haruna is an uncle to the chairman.”
The development has since forced him to become a fugitive, running from the DIG’s arrest and investigation, SaharaReporters gathered.
“But it will be expedient that Governor Yahaya Bello do everything to remove these criminal elements from government.
“Whilst the police continue to make frantic efforts to bring the chairman to book, his top level connections within the Force Headquarters continued to frustrate investigations as he often boasts that he is untouchable and can have his way anywhere,” a resident of the council area told SaharaReporters.
Recall that Odoma was recently in the news for attacking a former Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development in the state — an event where many women were beaten up.
He was also accused of assaulting a serving female councilor representing Ajaka Ward II of Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Zainab Otigbele Omaga, at a function in Idah during the last Christmas celebration.
An aide to Odoma contacted by SaharaReporters on Thursday over the issue declined to comment.
