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October 23, 2023
Sources had told SaharaReporters that the governor's convoy was going from Kogi to Abuja. However, the convoy reportedly smashed a naval checkpoint in Banda area of Lokoja, the state capital.
The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has dismissed reports of an assassination attempt on his life as claimed by Kingsley Fanwo, his Information Commissioner.
The commissioner had raised the alarm that the governor’s convoy was attacked en route to Abuja, on Sunday by suspected assassins.
But addressing reporters in Abuja, the governor said the said incident was a clash involving his convoy and some Nigerian military personnel.
SaharaReporters had on Sunday reported that there was pandemonium in Abaji area of Abuja as some Nigerian Navy personnel allegedly shot two aides of the governor during a confrontation in the area.
Sources had told SaharaReporters that the governor's convoy was going from Kogi to Abuja. However, the convoy reportedly smashed a naval checkpoint in Banda area of Lokoja, the state capital.
According to the sources, the soldiers reportedly informed their personnel at Abaji who blocked the convoy when the governor got to Abaji.
One of the sources said, "Yahaya Bello's convoy rudely smashed a naval checkpoint in Banda in Lokoja, so the naval personnel now informed people in Abaji and they now blocked them.
"They even shot two of governor's men. So it has been a pandemonium in that location since."
Meanwhile, the governor, while reacting to the incident, said it was men of the Nigerian Police Force attached to his convoy and those of a military unit manning the highways who clashed in the course of their duties.
However, he called on the high command of the agencies involved to investigate “overzealousness or unprofessional conduct by any of their men involved in the incident and apply the necessary sanctions.”
The Governor therefore urged the citizens of Kogi State to ignore any attempt by political profiteers to use the incident to unsettle the polity as “the state’s 2023 governorship elections slated for November 11 draw nearer”.
Speaking with SaharaReporters, another source had said that incident happened at 176 guard brigade checkpoint. "During the confrontation four soldiers were wounded by the governor’s gunmen. The checkpoint has always been there but the governor refused to stop. Two persons in the governor’s convoy wounded."
The soldiers according to the source were part of the guard brigade protecting the Presidential Villa.