Bello says his government not behind murder ff labour leader in Kogi

Apparently piqued by insinuations of the organised Labour in the state accusing his government of being the mastermind of the assassination of one of its leader, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has expressed disappointment in the leaders for their wafted thinking.

This was contained in a statement he personally signed, which was made available to newsmen in Lokoja yesterday.

Mallam Abdulmumin Yaqub, a labour leader and his friend, Mallam Ibrahim Otaru, were allegedly gunned down at the home of the former in Ozuwaya, Bariki Ward of Okene Council around 7pm on Wednesday, November 1.

Earlier on Tuesday, October 31, Abdulganiyu Aduki, an artisan, was killed around 7:30pm at Nagazi in Adavi Council.

On account of the gruesome murder of Yaqub, the organised Labour had backed out of the ongoing negotiation with government representatives for fear of their own lives.

Bello berated Labour for the utterances credited to it in the media suggesting that Yaqub’s death may not be unconnected with his opposition to the government on labour issues.

He said: “Simply put, they have insinuated that this government may have something to do with his death. They have also gone ahead to posit that their lives are not safe, as Labour leaders.

“I am aghast at this manner of thinking. Nothing could be further from the truth, and the leadership of Labour knows this.”

The governor said it was unfortunate Labour in the state, for the umpteenth time, has capitalised on horrendous tragedies that befell some of the citizens to malign the administration in the most malicious way.

“In the last three weeks alone, they have been quick to lay three tragedies at our door- the suicide of senior civil servant, the death of a family’s dear daughter from sickle cell anaemia disease and now the killing of Yaqub by as yet unidentified assassins, only to have the true stories surface a short while later contradicting their stories.

“Sadly, even when refuted, they have not been as quick to find the needed forthrightness to offer their regrets for accusing us falsely, or to apologise to the families they have hurt.”

He described Yaqub as a well known community leader, an Islamic cleric, a schoolteacher and a Labour leader, adding: “In fact, he was one of the leaders who worked closely with government and security agencies to stem the tide of insecurity in Kogi Central, particularly the Okene axis.