On Monday, the Kogi State Traditional Council of Chiefs paid Governor Yahaya Bello a visit at the Government House in Lokoja. They were led by His Royal Majesty, Alaji Mathew Opaluwa Ogwuche-Akpa, Atta Igala.
Attah Igala explained the reason for their visit, which was to convey their condolences to the Governor for the attack on his convoy on Saturday while he was traveling from Abuja to Lokoja.
The Atta Igala harshly denounced the assault, calling it a terrible conduct that must never happen again in Kogi State in the future.
Utilizing the opportunity, His Royal Majesty, Alaji Mathew Opaluwa Ogwuche-Akpa, also issued a warning to politicians and their supporters to make sure that their campaigns are carried out without the use of violence or intimidation.
His Royal Majesty, the Ohimege-Igu of Koto Karfe, Abdulrazaq Isah Koto, emphasized that the state, which has greatly benefited from peace and tranquility under Governor Yahaya Bello’s leadership, will continue to be peaceful in his prayers for the continued well-being of Governor Yahaya Bello and the advancement of Kogi State. He asked lawmakers to follow the set guidelines.
In his remarks, Governor Bello expressed his shock at the behavior of people who attacked his convoy on Saturday.
The governor revealed that on May 25, while traveling to Abuja, his convoy came across what appeared to be a roadblock erected by angry truck drivers who claimed to have problems with the task force. The governor claimed that after spending hours in line and suffering unspeakable hardships with other commuters who were uninformed of the situation, he finally joined the security personnel in clearing the road. The security officers later apprehended and filed charges against the criminals who had subjected other road users to such terrible conditions. The governor made it clear that such measures were intended to prevent others from trying to impose their own laws.
He added that he had been previously set to take part in the APC’s deputy governor candidate’s Friday reveal. Bola Ahmed Tinubu asked the party to reschedule the event for Saturday due to a meeting the Progressive Governors Forum had with the president.
After a busy week, Bello recalled that he had been sleeping in his car on the way to Lokoja. When he realized that the convoy remained still, he asked why, and his security details said that Muri’s convoy was the reason for the holdup. He was forced to follow Murtala’s convoy from Koto Karfe to Lokoja, a distance of around 30 kilometers, until his convoy was ambushed, despite the best efforts of his security detail to find a way through.
The attackers’ acts, according to the governor, were criminal, and he emphasized that such lawlessness would never be accepted in the state. Prior to the election, he urged the security forces, particularly the traditional leaders, to contribute to maintaining the state’s current level of calm. He emphasized the importance of teamwork in the fight against crime and made it clear that Kogi State cannot afford to be divided.
Governor Bello thanked the traditional heads of state for their thoughtful advice and expressed his gratitude for their visit.
He emphasized that politicians running on ethnic and religious lines were creating issues in the state and drew attention to the historical ties between the Igala and Ebira people. The governor reaffirmed to the traditional leaders his steadfast dedication to preserving the state’s law and order.