Political thugs destroy Melaye’s constituency projects before commissioning

Hoodlums suspected to be political thugs Wednesday morning at about 2 :00 a.m burnt down Government Girls Secondary School Sarkin Noma and Lokongoma Secondary School in Lokoja local government area ready for commissioning.

The two schools are the new projects of Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West senatorial district of the State as part of his 143 constituency projects for seven local government areas.

The political thugs allegedly burnt down the entire building including books and furniture supplied by the senator to ease teaching and learning of the students.

Less than 12 hours to the inauguration of the projects, some thugs on Tuesday issued a statement threatening to stop the commissioning and warned the senator not to come to Kogi State.

However, Senator Dino Melaye who was in the state to commission his projects condemned the vandalization of the new structures.

The Senator who had earlier commissioned a block of four classrooms in Tawari, Manyare, and 20 kilometers roads all in Gegu-Beki in Kogi local government area of the state, lamented that the schools were built for the communities but unfortunately some politicians who could not provide projects to alleviate the suffering of the down trodden sponsored thugs to destroyed those projects.

He noted that no amount of intimidation and harassment can discourage him from fulfilling his electioneering campaign promises to the people of his constituency.

Expressing worries over the attack on schools, the Kogi State government yesterday condemned in strong term the burning of four of the constituency projects of Senator Dino Melaye in Lokoja the state capital.

The Director General, Media and Publicity to the state governor, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo who spoke on behalf of government during an assessment tour of the burnt facility also said the state government has directed security operatives to fish out the arsonists.

The four constituency projects which are four block of classrooms each at Government Girls secondary school, Sarkin Noma; Lokongoma Secondary School, Phase 1; and Adankolo Secondary school; all in Lokoja.

Fanwo who spoke at the Government Girls Secondary School, Sarkin Nomo said, “Government condemn the incident. Education is the leading thematic area of the state government and so will not allow any elements derail it.

“Irrespective of who is doing the project, the fund is from the government. So weather it is the executive or legislative, such projects should rather be applauded and not destroyed.

“We have directed the security operatives to access the situation, get to the root of the matter, unraveled the perpetrators and bring the culprits to book.

“Government will take a decisive action to ensure that the arsonists do not go scout free.”

The state commissioner for Education, Mrs. Rosemary Osikoya who was amongst the government officials who visited the sites said government will not fold her arms until the perpetrators are fished out.

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