Malik Yahya/
Masked security men today invaded Suteria Hotel in Lokoja where Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State was meeting with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Kogi State, in his capacity as Chairman of the party’s National Campaign Council.
NewsmakersNG learnt that the hooded security operatives arrived the hotel, located along Stadium Road, Lokoja, where the Governor and some members of the PDP Campaign Council were also lodged at about 12.50pm.
They reportedly fired shots into the air as they attempted to force their way into the hotel.
The governor’s security aides however repelled the attack and forced the invaders to beat retreat.
Makinde is the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign council for the governorship election.
Makinde’s spokesman, Taiwo Adisa, in a statement said the governor and members of his campaign team were inside the hotel when masked security operatives attempted forcing their way in.
He said they shot sporadically into the air and the security operatives attached to the governor responded swiftly.
“Some of the hooded security operatives scaled the fence of the Hotel and attempted to gain entrance into the main Hotel,” Adisa quoted a witnesses as saying.
Adisa said the hooded policemen came in about 100 vehicles.
He quoted another witness as saying: “They came fully armed and hooded. Some of them scaled the fence of the Hotel and made to enter the Hotel proper. But pandemonium ensued, as there was commotion between security operatives attached to the Governor and the invaders.
“However, some residents in the neighbourhood of the Hotel soon mobilised and joined the Governor’s security to resist the invaders.”
Some staff of the hotel who spoke off the record, said the policemen wanted to search the premises but they were not allowed to do so because they could not provide any search warrant.
The hotel officials also said only 20 policemen came into the facility, denying that there were gunshots.
The governor reportedly left the hotel shortly after the incident.
A video of the incident shared online shows some of the governor’s aides and some residents chasing after the fleeing invaders, while questioning their audacity to attempt to attack a governor.
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