Makinde, Wada escape attack

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in today’s governorship election in Kogi State, Mr Musa Wada, yesterday escaped being attacked by gunmen in their hotel rooms in Lokoja.

The incident occurred after gunmen dressed in police uniforms allegedly invaded the Suitoral Hotel, Lokoja, where the duo was lodged.

The gunmen, however, did not succeed in gaining access to the hotel, as security men attached to the governor repelled and chased them away.

An eyewitness confirmed the development claiming the masked men accessed the hotel through both the gate and fence of the hotel.

The eyewitness who pleaded anonymity believed the masked men must have been sent by their sponsors to abduct the PDP candidate.

He noted: “Some people said they may have been fake policemen, but the governor’s security men said the attackers were not fake judging from the uniform they were wearing and that they were hooded so that they will not be identified.”

When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Busari, acknowledged that he was privy to the information, but denied that there was an attack on the governor’s hotel.

Reacting, the head of publicity of the PDP Campaign Council, Farouk Adejoh Audu, confirmed the attack adding that the masked men were about 50 in number.

He said: “I can confirm to you that the hotel was attacked by hooded men in police uniform. They came in tinted buses, but our security details repelled them.

“We have been complaining that there are so many tinted vehicles that are not registered in the state and two days ago, the Commissioner of Police said such vehicles should be impounded. But these men came in those tinted vehicles”.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Taiwo Adisa, also confirmed the incident.

“Information reaching us from Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, confirmed that some armed and masked security men who appeared in police uniforms have attacked the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.

“Makinde is the chairman of the PDP’s Kogi State Campaign Council. He is in Kogi in his capacity as the chairman of that council.

“Eyewitnesses confirmed that the hooded security operatives arrived the Suitorial Hotels, Lokoja, located along Stadium Road, where the governor and some members of the PDP Campaign Council are lodged at about 12.50 pm shooting sporadically and attempting to break into the hotel rooms. 

“It was gathered that some of the hooded security operatives scaled the fence of the hotel and attempted to enter the rooms. A melee was set off as the security operatives attached to the Governor of Oyo State were said to have resisted the invaders.”