Ex-Commissioner Escapes Assassination Attempt

Johnson Babajide, Lokoja - 03.05.2008

MOTHER-luck was the saving grace for former Commissioner of Finance in Kogi State, Mr Abiodun Ojo, as he only managed to escape by the whiskers following an attempt on his life on Thursday night.

According to him, three people at about 8.00 pm on Thursday invaded his house, located at Lokongoma area of Lokoja, demanding his whereabouts from the security man. He stated that their coming coincided with the time he wanted to go out, and that the three young men had parked their vehicle some metres away from his residence. He continued that upon seeing him, they demanded to know his identity.

Ojo said that while trying to ask them of their presence in the area, two of the men held him by the jugular. The former commissioner said that immediately one of them recognised him, the other two brought out a gun and pointed it at him, but stressed that he was able to struggle with one of them, while the other shot at him several times, but the bullet could not penetrate.

On discovering this, Ojo said that the suspected killers took to their heels, especially as the neighbours had begun to troop out, and ran for their lives, adding that the invaders were not masked. He said that the incident was immediately reported to the police in the area.

But the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Onum Inalegwu, told Saturday Tribune on phone that the command was yet to receive the report, adding that he was not in town when the report was filed.