A former Minister of State for Health, Chief Arc. Gabriel Aduku, has escaped assassination attempt as some gunmen numbering six invaded his house in Anyigba.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Secretary-General, Kogi East Elders’ Council (KEEC) Mr. Alphonsus Alhassan and made available to newsmen in Lokoja, it was alleged that, “by evening of December 18, 2017, Chief Arc. Gabriel Aduku, who is the Deputy Chairman of the Kogi East Elders’ Council (KEEC) was accosted and man-handled at his residence in Anyigba, Kogi State.
“The hoodlums in their twenties were six in number and were uniformed. Three stayed outside 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 follow them even as they physically tried to bundle him out as he insisted he would rather die within his compound if need be.”
He noted that they broke down two bedroom doors, seized his telephone sets, those of his aide and other valuables to make it appear like a robbery attack.
“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 pay masters could not controvert the facts and kernel of our press conference which centred on the unmitigated mis governance 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,” the statement added.
He added that no member of the Kogi East Elders’ Council appointed himself or herself. He said 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 of 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,” he noted.
Similarly, the Kogi State Chairman of Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop John Ibenu also escaped assassination attempt on his life as some unknown gunmen riddled his car with bullets.
Narrating the incident to newsmen in Lokoja, Bishop John Ibenu who is presently the Kogi State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria said he was on his way from his village in Kogi East at about 5.30pm on Sunday when 7 suspected Fulani men along Ojodu in Ofu local government area rushed out of the bush and opened fire on his vehicle.
He noted that the 4 of the Fulani men rushed out from the bush and in an attempt to make u-turn, another 3 suspected Fulani men appeared from the bush and open gunfire on his vehicle.
He stated that they did not mask but were fully armed with AK47, but with God grace he was able to manage to escape.
He called on the state governor to intensify more effort in curbing criminal activities in the state.
According to him within a space of one week, series of kidnapping incidents were recorded along Lokoja-Ajaokuta road and other places in the state.
When contacted, the Kogi state Public Relations Officer, ASP William Aya confirmed that some hoodlums invaded the residence of Chief Gabrael Aduku, adding that the command is on the trail of the hoodlums but said he would not volunteer more information so as not to jeopardize investigations.
On CAN chairman’s assassination attempt Aya, Aya said no incident of such has been reported since the beginning of the year.
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