The Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday, as gunmen dressed in military uniforms attacked his convoy on his way to Abuja from Lokoja.
According to a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, the incident occurred at about 4pm, when the attackers ambushed the governor’s convoy and opened fire at his vehicle and others in the convoy.
Fanwo said that the security personnel attached to the governor were able to repel the attackers and protect the governor from harm. He added that the attacks were at three different points, with the last barricade being around Kwali in the Federal Capital Territory.
The commissioner said that the attack has been reported to the security agencies in the state and at the national level for prompt and thorough investigations. He also alleged that some desperate politicians were behind the attack, as part of their plot to create insecurity in Kogi ahead of the governorship election scheduled for November 11, 2023.
He urged Kogi citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements to the relevant security agencies. He assured them that the peace and stability that Kogi has enjoyed in the last eight years would not be compromised by violent and terrorist elements.
