The Defence Headquarters has refuted claims of its personnel being involved in an attack on Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
The incident, which Bello described as an assassination attempt, purportedly occurred near Abuja while the governor was en route to an official engagement from Lokoja, the state capital.
However, the statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, suggested that individuals donning military attire ambushed the governor’s convoy, unleashing a barrage of gunfire on his vehicle and other convoy vehicles.
Amidst the confusion surrounding the incident, some sections of the public erroneously speculated that unidentified soldiers were responsible for the attack on the governor.
Addressing the growing concerns, the Director of Defence Information at the Defence Headquarters, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, clarified that the attackers were not affiliated with the military but were instead criminals masquerading in counterfeit military uniforms.
Brig. Gen. Gusau emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the police and emphasized the importance of bringing the perpetrators to justice.
He said,
“The attack is unfortunate and we are not happy with what happened. However, the governor did not say it was the military that attacked him. Military personnel will never attack the governor. He said his attackers were in military uniforms. His attackers are criminals. We urged the police to investigate the matter and unravel the circumstances and those involved in the attack.”
Subsequently, the Police Command of the Federal Capital Territory has initiated an inquiry into the reported assault against Kogi State Governor, Yahaha Bello.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba, disclosed this significant development during the late hours of Sunday night.
“We’re investigating,” CP Garba said.
According to an official statement from the Kogi State Government on Sunday, an alleged assassination attempt targeted Yahaya Bello, a short distance from Abuja, as he was en route to an official engagement from Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State.
Kingsley Fanwo, the state Commissioner for Information, stated in an official communication that the incident transpired around 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 22, 2023.
Fanwo said,
“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.”
He further mentioned that the assaults took place at three distinct locations, with the final blockade occurring near Kwali in the Federal Capital Territory at approximately 4:20 p.m.
“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. 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,” he noted.
