TheCable

Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi, says there was no assassination attempt on him along the Lokoja-Abuja road.

On Sunday, Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi commissioner of information, said in a statement that Bello’s convoy was attacked by gunmen wearing military uniforms.

Fanwo said the attack was carried out a few kilometres from Abuja around 4pm on Sunday, adding that the security personnel attached to the governor repelled the attack.

Reacting to the incident in a press conference in Abuja, the Kogi governor said the security operatives attached to his convoy had an “encounter” with a sister security agency.

Bello said the “fracas” between the security operatives was resolved, adding that the trip to Abuja went smoothly afterwards.

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

“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.”

The Kogi governor said the social media version of events are incorrect.

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

“Between Kogi state and FCT, it is a secure route, thanks be to God Almighty and members of the military, the Nigerian police, the DSS, the navy, the civil defence, the vigilantes, the professional hunters, and the citizens of our dear state.”

He called for an investigation of the law enforcement agencies present along the route during the incident, adding that the “fracas” should not have occurred in the first place.