Irate youths and residents of Kogi State yesterday in Lokoja, pelted Governor Yahaya Bello with stones, rotten fruits and vegetables during Juma’at prayer at the central mosque. It was gathered that the attack may not be unconnected with the governor’s alleged non-performance and refusal to pay workers’ salaries which were running into months.
Eyewitness accounts say the governor, was attending the prayer session for the first time at the Lokoja Central Mosque to offer payers on behalf of the state to mark the 25th anniversary of the creation of the state.
The governor, on arrival, had to pray outside the mosque. Having lost one raqa’at (sitting and standing positions) prayer due to lateness, Bello in an attempt to complete the remaining raqa’at was abruptly interrupted by the youth, who chanted anti- government slogans and mocked him in the process. As if that was not enough, some other youths outside the mosque in a bid to embarrass the governor, also began to pelt stones aiming at him.
The situation eventually snowballed into heavy confusion following the release of gas canisters and sporaic gunshot into the air by the governor’s security details.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has condemned the attacked on Bello.
Speaking with Saturday Telegraph in a telephone interview, the state Treasurer of the party, Yahaya Adesayo, disassociated the parry and it members from the incident. “We are really sad over the situation and we condemned it, but then a situation where the people are hungry, there bound to be situation like this.
“We as a party, want to plead with people of the state, to eschew violence and allow peace to reign. let us also remember that is the governor today, people should look at the office and the person. So no amount of stoning will strip him off as a governor today.
We strongly advice that the office of the governor must be respected,” he added. All effort to get the police reaction over the incident proved abortive as their spokesman in the state, Mr. William Aya, neither picked his calls nor responded to text message sent to him.
