Chaos unfolded in the Abaji region of Abuja as alleged naval personnel reportedly fired upon two of Governor Yahaya Bello’s aides during a heated confrontation.
According to sources, the governor’s convoy, en route from Kogi to Abuja, refused to stop at a naval checkpoint in the Banda area of Lokoja, the state capital. As a response, the soldiers stationed at the naval checkpoint in Abaji were instructed to block the convoy.
“One of the sources revealed, “Yahaya Bello’s convoy rudely smashed a naval checkpoint in Banda in Lokoja, so the naval personnel informed individuals in Abaji, and they blocked them.
“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 were wounded,” the source explained.
The soldiers involved in the confrontation were part of the guard brigade responsible for protecting the Presidential Villa.
In response to the incident, the state government issued a statement, characterizing it as an assassination attempt thwarted by Governor Bello’s security team.
According to the statement, the attackers, dressed in military uniforms, ambushed the Governor’s convoy, firing at his vehicle and others in the convoy. Security personnel accompanying the Governor swiftly intervened to prevent the plans of the unknown assailants from succeeding.
The Kogi State Government, in light of these incidents, has taken measures to ensure the safety of its citizens, as it anticipates the gubernatorial election scheduled for November 11, 2023. The government encourages residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to relevant security agencies.
As the government remains committed to upholding security, it seeks to preserve the peace and security it has maintained over the past eight years and will not permit violent politics to disrupt it. The state government has submitted reports of the attacks to security offices at both state and national levels to facilitate prompt and thorough investigations and prevent any recurrence of such incidents.