PDP Condemns Attack on FMC in Lokoja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday condemned the attack on Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in 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 expressed shock over the violent attack, especially given allegations in the public circle that the gunmen were sponsored by the Kogi State Government, which was earlier alleged to have ordered Kogi people not to visit the medical centre for their medications, following its reported disagreement with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on the state COVID-19 status. PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, insisted that such attack on a medical facility cannot be justified under any guise whatsoever. According to PDP, “It is however revealing that the gunmen shot their way into the medical centre at the time the staffers were getting ready for a press conference on issues relating to the state COVID-19 status; invaded the record and administration department and destroyed sensitive documents as well as 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 the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, declared that COVID-19 is an artificial creation, orchestrated to shorten the lifespan of the people." The party recalled that it had last Monday raised the alarm over the hostile attitude of the 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 the state, and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call the state Governor, Bello, to order, particularly over his needless confrontation with the managers of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state. The PDP also called on the security agencies to immediately commence a high level investigation into the attack on the FMC Lokoja and ensure that the gunmen and their sponsors are made to face the wrath of the law.