Hoodlums beat SDP zonal chairman to coma in Kogi

Some hoodlums suspected to be political thugs have attacked the house of Pastor Sunday Atabo, Zonal Chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi State.

The incident happened at his country home in Aja-Odi Agojoeju, Ofu Local Government Area (LGA).

A witness said the hoodlums, wielding dangerous weapons such as AK- 47, cutlasses and rods in their numbers invaded his house on Saturday night and beat him to the state of coma.

Atabo, who is also the General Overseer of Bible Believers church, Agojeju-Efakwu in Ofu LGA, is said to be currently critically ill and admitted at an undisclosed hospital.

“The hoodlums stormed his house with dangerous weapons, including AK-47s, locally made guns, cutlasses and big sticks. They beat him mercilessly to stupor.

“Thereafter, they charged towards his property, destroying his cars and other source of livelihood,” a family member, James Adaji, said.

According to the state secretary of the party, Dr Arome Okeme, the hoodlums wanted to set the house ablaze.

“But for God, they tried to set his house on fire with his family in it, but the spark wouldn’t light. Currently, Hon. Sunday Atabor is in a state of semi-consciousness, traveling from consciousness to unconsciousness”, said Okeme.

The director of new media of the SDP governorship campaign team, ID Ijele, condemned the act, saying attacks on chieftains and members of the party had been happening.

“The idea behind this dastard act is to scare our leaders and voters from playing their role, including stopping them from coming out to vote on Election Day.”

“We have been reporting such attacks, and we will continue to do so, hoping the security agents will rise up to the occasion to stem the tide of this orchestrated violence attack on our members”, he said.

The party therefore called on the commissioner of police, Department of State Services (DSS), Army, Civil Defence and other security agencies to intervene and bring the perpetrators to book.