‘You Are A Liar’, Gov. Yahaya Bello Disown Commissioner, Says No Attempt On His Life

Kogi State Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello, has in a vehement denial, debunked viral press statement by his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, that there was an attempt on his life by unknown gunmen dressed in military uniform.

Osun Defender had earlier reported how Governor Bello escaped an assassination attempt while on his to an official event in Abuja.

Fanwo’s statement read inter alia, “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 Lokoka. The attack occurred at about 4 pm on Sunday, October 22, 2023.”

However, in an interview granted to the press Sunday evening at his residence in Abuja, Governor Bello stated that there was no attempt whatsoever on his life. He clarified that while there was a minor fracas between men of the Nigerian Police detail attached to his convoy and those of a military unit manning the highways, it was in the cause of both units performing their lawful security duties.

The Governor who commended the security services for their joint contributions to the heightened security of lives and properties enjoyed by the citizens of Kogi State however called on the high command of the agencies involved to investigate overzealousness or unprofessional conduct by any of their men involved and apply the necessary sanctions.

‘I therefore call on the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Army, DSS and all other security forces that are around me and on the road to investigate and punish whoever is culpable according to rules and regulations of the various forces,’ Governor Bello said.

The Governor called on 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 due on November 11 draw nearer. He assured the state of both his safety and the adequacy of security arrangements to ensure that the elections are peaceful, free, and fair.