BY VICTOR BUORO – Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has dismissed as untrue reports of an assassination attempt on his life along the Abuja-Lokoja road on Sunday.
He spoke against the backdrop of his Information Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, raising an alarm that the governor’s convoy was attacked by unknown gunmen on its way to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Sunday evening.
The Governor told journalists in Abuja that what actually happened was a minor incident involving his official convoy and some security operators on the road.
According to Governor Bello, there was a minor misunderstanding between men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) attached to him and those manning a military unit along the Abuja-Lokoja highway, adding that incident took place in the course of both units trying to carryout their lawful duties as security personnel.
He lauded the security agencies for their joint contributions to the improved security as well as safety of lives and property, while also acknowledging that the existing arrangements have been quite beneficial to the good people of Kogi State.
Governor Bello however urged the top hierarchy of the security agencies involved in the Sunday incident to investigate what he described as the unprofessional conduct and overzealousness by any of the personnel on duty and “apply the appropriate sanctions where necessary”.
Consequently, the Governor charged the citizens and all residents of Kogi State to ignore any attempt by political profiteers to deploy the incident in their unwholesome plans at unsettling the polity ahead of the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial poll in the Confluence state.
This is as he assured the state of both his security and safety, stressing that adequate security arrangements are being put in to ensure that the forthcoming election is not only peaceful, but also free and fair.
The latest development is coming on the heels of several disturbing reports and claims of rising insecurity by political actors and stakeholders with less than three weeks to the governorship election in the State.
