KOGI, Nigeria – On Saturday, June 3, 2023, the convoy of the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, came under attack by suspected political thugs, leading to the injury of several of his security aides.
The attack occurred near the Naval Base, a few kilometers from Lokoja, the state capital.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, reported that the hoodlums had blocked the road and opened fire on the governor’s convoy.
While accusing a political opposition figure in the state of orchestrating the attack, Fanwo reassured that Governor Bello was not harmed in the incident.
“Governor Bello left the scene unscathed, and there is no cause for alarm as he is in high spirits,” Fanwo said in his statement.
He urged security forces to apprehend and prosecute the attackers.
The Commissioner also relayed a message from the governor to members of the All Progressive Congress (APC), cautioning against any reprisal attacks.
He emphasized that any form of insecurity would be met with severe consequences.
This attack comes amidst the tense political climate in Kogi state as it prepares for the upcoming November 11, 2023, governorship election.
Yahaya Bello’s second term in office, culminating in an eight-year tenure, will come to an end in November.
Earlier in April, Usman Ododo, Bello’s ally and former Auditor General of Local Government in Kogi State, emerged as the governorship candidate of the APC in the state.
He is up against candidates from other parties including Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), among others.
