Kogi: You Lied, Bello Counters Commissioner Over Alleged Assassination Attempt

Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello has refuted claims that some gun men tried to kill him on Sunday on his way to Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The state commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo had in a statement made available to journalists, yesterday stated that his principal was almost killed by some unknown “soldiers.”

According to Fanwo, it was the governor’s security guards who saved the day by repelling the alleged assassins.

“The Kogi State Government wishes to inform the general public that there was an assassination 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 Lokokja,” the commissioner said.

However, Governor Bello has debunked the claim. You lied about the alleged plan by some hoodlums to kill me, the governor said.

In his reaction the governor while addressing a press conference in Abuja, said his security only had an encounter with another security agency on his journey to the nation’s capital.

He said “there was no assassination attempt on me, Yahaya Bello, the executive governor of Kogi State,” adding that his men only had a brush with another sister agency which was immediately resolved.

Part of the governor’s statement: “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.

“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.

“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.

“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.”

The state government had on two different occasions, claimed that attempts were made to kill the state’s helmsman ahead the November 11 Governorship election.