The Kogi State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Bishop John Ibenu, and a former Minister of State for Health from the state, Chief Gabriel Aduku, have escaped assassination attempts on them.
The clergy’s car was said to have been riddled with bullets though he escaped unhurt.
Ibenu told newsmen in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, on Thursday that he was returning from his village in the eastern part of the state at about 5.30pm on Sunday when he was attacked.
According to him, about seven suspected Fulani men along Ojodu in Ofu Local Government Area came out of the bush from both sides of the road and opened fire on his vehicle.
Aduku was allegedly attacked by some gunmen in his country home in Anyigba, Dekina Local Government Area of the state.
According to a statement by the Secretary-General, Kogi East Elders’ Council, Alphonsus Alhassan, Aduku, who is the Deputy Chairman of KEEC, was accosted and manhandled in his residence.
The statement reads: “The hoodlums in their twenties were six in number and were uninformed. Three stayed outside while three while two of them masked entered his sitting room through his kitchen.
“One of them carried a pump action rifle while the other two had pistols which they pointed at his head and informed him they were sent from Abuja to pick him for questioning.
“He refused to accompany them despite their physically trying to bundle him out as he insisted he would rather die within his compound if need be.”
Alhassan said they broke down two bedroom doors, seized Aduku’s telephone sets, those of his aides and other valuables to make it appear like a robbery attack.
He added: “We want to state that the signature of the perpetrators of this crime is not unambiguous.
“We have a very good idea of those behind the shameless and cowardly act. That the attack came a few weeks after the Kogi East Elders’ Council addressed a press conference in Abuja which was replied by a group who were so cowardly that they neither included their names and addresses in the rejoinder which they published in three national newspapers is a pointer.
“It is obvious that since the hoodlums and their paymasters could not controvert the facts and kernel of our press conference which centred on the unmitigated misgovernance of Kogi State, rather than tow the path of moral rectitude, they have resorted to crude intimidation of elders old enough to be their fathers and grandfathers.”
Alhassan said no member of the KEEC appointed himself or herself, adding: “They did not even come together on their own will to form the Council, stressing that every single member was appointed in recognition of his or her antecedents and have been discharging this task sacrificially for the good of Kogi East Senatorial District.
“We will therefore not be intimidated or cowered by mannerless hoodlums whose stock-in-trade is gangsterism and terrorism.”
Trending
- BUA driver crushes six to death, injures 30
- Court dismisses money laundering charge against ex-AGF
- Six injured as truck overturns in Lagos + Photo
- Alleged N80.2b fraud: IG withdraws policemen attached to Yahaya Bello
- Court okays Nigerian’s plea to amend $150m suit against Google, GoDaddy.Com
- French-American player backs Rivers Hoopers to spring surprises at 2024 Basketball Africa League
- NNPCL, First E&P achieve 20,000bpd production at OML 85
- Nigeria: The changing governance story, by Temitope Ajayi