Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has reportedly escaped an assassination attempt.
Daily Report Nigeria reports that the Governor was said to have been attacked by gunmen dressed in military uniform along the Lokoja-Abuja road on Sunday.
The attack on Bello is coming in the heat-up to the November 11 governorship election in the state.
The development was confirmed by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, who said that the assassination attempt took place a few kilometres away from Abuja.
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Yahaya Bello was said to be on his way to Abuja for an official engagement from Lokoka, the Kogi State capital when the attack took place.
The statement reads; “The Kogi State Government wishes to inform the general public that there was an assasination attempt on the Governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, CON, a few kilometres away from Abuja, on his way to an official engagement from Lokoja.
“The attack occurred at about 4pm on Sunday, October 22, 2023.
“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 attacks were at three different points, the last barricade being around Kwali Federal Capital Territory at about 4.20 pm.
“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.
“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.
“We call on the citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements in the domain to relevant security agencies. 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.”
