Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State on Sunday narrowly escaped death as he was attacked by gunmen in military uniforms on his way to Abuja from Lokoja.
The state government confirmed the incident in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo.
He said that, “The attackers who were dressed in military uniforms waylaid the governor’s convoy and started shooting sporadically at his vehicle and other vehicles in the convoy. It took the swift intervention of the security personnel attached to the governor to foil the satanic plans of the unknown soldiers.”
The statement revealed that the governor faced three separate attacks at different locations, with the last one happening near Kwali in the Federal Capital Territory around 4.20 p.m.
Fanwo said that, “The report of these strange attacks has been properly documented at security offices in the state and at the national level for prompt and thorough investigations to avert future occurrences.”
He also accused some elements of trying to create insecurity in Kogi ahead of the governorship election scheduled for November 11, 2023.
He said that, “We are not oblivious of the fact that certain elements are bent on painting Kogi unsafe ahead of the governorship poll slated for November 11, 2023. As an administration, we will spare nothing to ensure our citizens are not subjected to security threats by desperate politicians sponsoring violence and terrorism.”
He urged the people of Kogi to be alert and report any suspicious activities to the security agencies. He assured them that “It is the responsibility of the government to ensure security and we want to assure you that the peace we have enjoyed as a state in the last eight years won’t be lost on the altar of violent politics.”
