Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has denied reports claiming that he survived an assassination attempt on the Abuja-Lokoja expressway on Sunday, October 22. According to Lagos Reporters, the Kogi State commissioner for information, Kingsley Fanwo, had released a statement alleging that Governor Bello was attacked three times by “strange elements in military uniforms” on his way to an official engagement in Abuja.However, Governor Bello has dismissed the claims, clarifying that the incident was a minor disagreement between his personal security team and military personnel who were assigned to protect the road. He emphasized that there was no attempt on his life. He added that while there was a minor fracas between men of the Nigerian Police Force attached to his convoy and those of a military unit manning the highways, it was in the course of both units performing their lawful security duties.Governor Bello commended the security agencies for their joint contributions to the improved security of citizens of Kogi State but called on the high command of the agencies involved to investigate any overzealousness or unprofessional conduct by their personnel involved in the incident and apply necessary sanctions. He urged citizens of Kogi State to ignore attempts by political profiteers to use the incident to unsettle the polity, as the state’s 2023 gubernatorial elections draw nearer.He assured the state of his safety and the adequacy of security arrangements to ensure that the elections were peaceful, free, and fair.
