COVID-19: PDP condemns attack on FMC, Lokoja, seeks investigation

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the attack on Federal Medical Center, Lokoja Kogi state, by gunmen, who invaded the facility, destroyed and carted away documents and equipment used for data collection and management of COVID-19 in the state.
The party has consequently called on the security agencies to immediately commence a high level investigation into the attack on the Federal Medical Center, Lokoja and ensure that the gunmen and their sponsors are made to face the wrath of the law.
The PDP made the condemnation in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja.
The party expressed shock over the violent attack, especially given allegations in the public space that the gunmen were sponsored by the Kogi state government, which was earlier alleged to have ordered Kogi people not to visit the medical center for their medications, following its reported disagreement with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on the state’s COVID-19 status.
The leading opposition party insisted that such an attack on a medical facility cannot be justified under any guise, whatsoever.
According to the PDP, “It is however revealing that the gunmen shot their way into the Medical Center at the time the staffers were getting ready for a press conference on issues related to the state’s COVID -19 status; invaded the record and admin department where they destroyed sensitive documents and carted away computers, in addition to ransacking the office of the Chief Medical Director.
“It is instructive to state that the target and mode of the attack strongly expose a desperate mission to destroy gathered information, suppress statistics and completely disrupt COVID-19 management effort in state.
“Nigerians are invited to note that the attack came just a day after Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, declared COVID-19 an artificial creation, orchestrated to shorten the lifespan of the people”, it said.
The PDP recalled that it had on Monday raised alarm over the hostile attitude of the Kogi state government towards the COVID-19 intervention in the state, which is resulting in fear of unreported cases and alleged “silent deaths” in the state.
The party lamented the situation in Kogi state and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call Governor Yahaya Bello to order, particularly over his needless confrontation with the managers of COVID-19 issues in the state.
The PDP also called on the security agencies to immediately commence a high level investigation into the attack on the Federal Medical Center, Lokoja and ensure that the gunmen and their sponsors are made to face the wrath of the law.