FROM SAMSON ALFA, MINNA
Niger State government has dismissed a report claiming that the convoy of Governor Umar Bago escaped death, following an alleged attack by armed bandits.
There were reports last week that Governor Bago’s convoy was ambushed by armed bandits while returning from Egbede Community in Mashegu Local Government Area, as part of his ongoing statewide tour of projects in Niger North Senatorial District.
Reacting to the report, however, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Bologi Ibrahim refuted the report, saying the governor’s convoy had been having a smooth tour of Niger North Senatorial District since last week.
Ibrahim, in a statement yesterday, described the news as baseless, false and unfounded.
“The convoy of the farmer governor has been having a smooth tour of ongoing projects across Niger North Senatorial District since last week,” he said.
AljazirahNigeria reports that Niger North is the second to be visited by the governor after Zone A.
Sources disclosed that his convoy was ambushed by bandits who opened fire sporadically on their vehicles as the convoy missed its way into bandits’ area.
According to a source within the governor’s entourage who pleaded anonymity, the well-equipped security personnel accompanying the governor responded swiftly by engaging the attackers in a gunfight, in which several bandits were neutralised while others fled into the bushes.
It was gathered that some vehicles in the convoy were damaged as the tire of one of the Hilux vehicles was shot, while a bulletproof vehicle of the Counter-Terrorism Unit, CTU, received a hit but resisted the impact.
An eyewitness disclosed that the chaos caused by the attack led to confusion among the convoy, with about three vehicles losing their way into the bush, although no casualty was reported as at the time of filing this report.
