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Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West) has claimed that those who attacked him at the Kabba Day celebration over the weekend were thugs allegedly sent by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state.
The allegation is contained in a press statement issued, on Sunday, by Melaye’s Special Assistant on Media, Gideon Ayodele, and made available to newsmen, in Lokoja.
According to the statement, “Two out of the Ebira boys that attacked him in Kabba on Saturday were sent by Kogi State Government but were arrested by the Police but later granted bail following the intervention of the state apparatus.”
He said that the governor and his entourage as were angered by his ‘glorious outing ‘at the occasion, also alleging that the thugs invaded his Constituency office, in Kabba, and shot sporadically, apparently with a belief that he was at the building to commission the facility.
Meanwhile, in a swift response, the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello said he took a proactive step to avert an impending chaos that would have resulted in the loss of lives and property at the annual celebration of Kabba Day.
In a press statement issued yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mrs Petra Akinti Onyegbule noted that the governor’s inability to make a scheduled appearance at the Kabba Day was to prevent the possible uprising that might disrupt peace at the event.
"The alleged attack on Dino Melaye by some aggrieved Kogi west youths, would have been worsened if the governor was present at the event, saying as the father of the state the governor decided to stay off to avert further violence.
"As the chief security officer of the state, whose job is to ensure the protection and safety of lives and property of the citizens, Gov Bello is committed to making sure that the onerous task of ensuring the safety of the entire citizens was never compromised,” she stated.
She stated that the governor has said it times without number that no single life is worth being lost for any political misunderstanding. "If my appearance would hurt anyone, I would rather stay away and let everyone be at peace. Kogi is for all of us, and together we shall build the state of our dream”.
The governor, however urged the youths to shun any act of violence that could derail peace across the state, stating that every life is important to him irrespective of who is involved.
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Politics