Gov Bello denies assassination attempt

Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has denied alleged assassination attempt on his life on Sunday.

Addressing newsmen in the evening of Sunday, Bello explained the incident on Lokoja-Abuja Highway as a mere altercation between his security details and some military personnel at a check point.

But his Information Commissioner, Mr  Kingsley Fanwo, in a  statement,  alleged assassination attempt on the governor’s life along the Lokoja-Abuja Road around 4.20.p.m. of Sunday.

Fanwo had claimed that the assassins were in military uniforms during the attack, which was repelled by security men attached to the governor.

A contrary statement  in Lokoja by Bello’s Media Aide, Onogwu Mohammed, said: “What happened along the Lokoja-Abuja road was a minor disagreement between the security details attached to him and some military personnel providing security on the road.

In an interview granted to  newsmen a few moments ago at his residence in Abuja, Bello stated that there was no attempt whatsoever on his life.

He clarified that while there was a minor fracas between men of the Nigerian Police Force attached to his convoy and those of a military unit manning the highways, it  was in the course of both units performing their lawful security duties.”

The governor  commended the security agencies for their joint contributions to the improved security of lives and property enjoyed by the residents of Kogi.

Bello, however, called on the high command of the agencies involved to investigate overzealousness or unprofessional conduct by any of their men involved in the incident and apply the necessary sanctions.

The governor also called on residents of Kogi to ignore any attempt by political profiteers to use the incident to unsettle the polity as the state’s 2023 governorship elections slated for  Nov. 11 drew nearer.

He assured the state of both his safety and the adequacy of security arrangements to ensure that the elections were peaceful, free and fair.

“This afternoon at about 14:00hours, I took off from Lokoja coming to Abuja and the journey was smooth along with the convoy and just about 16:00 hours, my convoy especially the security had an encounter with another sister agency and there was a fracas.

“Immediately, we waded in and it was resolved. From there, we had a smooth journey down to Abuja and ever since I came, I’ve been engaging in all the activities that brought me to Abuja and it’s been very smooth.

“Thereafter, I began to hear in the social media about assassination attempt. I want to state categorically very clear, dear Nigerians, there was no assassination attempt on me Yahaya Bello, the executive governor of Kogi State by the military or by anybody.

“Between Kogi State and FCT, it is a secure route, thanks be to God Almighty and members of the military, the Nigeria Police, the DSS, the Navy, the Civil Defence, the vigilantes, the professional hunters and the citizens of our dear state.

“We have been able to secure that route courtesy these various agencies and bodies that I enumerated. So nobody would have attempted to assassinate me or any member of our convoy.

“It is natural or let me put it this way, most often or sometimes, there will be misunderstanding or fracas between sister agencies that are performing their lawful duties. That sometimes cannot be ruled out but assassination attempt, there is nothing like that.

“It has been resolved and I don’t condone any act of indiscipline, that fracas to even have happened in the first place, I’ve called on all law enforcement agencies that are around me and on the road to investigate it and ensure that whoever is culpable is punished according to the rules and regulations of the various Forces or the various Services.

“I am a law-abiding citizen and our security men have done greatly in securing our lives and livelihood. I respect men in uniform, I respect the Nigeria Army, the Nigerian Military generally, our Nigeria Police Force and all security agencies,” Bello said.