By Uloma Peace Okorie
Former Lagos State Governor and now President Bola Ahmed Tinubu narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in December 1999, an incident that claimed four lives and marked one of the earliest security shocks of his administration in Lagos State.
The attack reportedly occurred while Tinubu was being driven back from official engagements in Lagos, when armed assailants opened fire on his convoy in a sudden ambush. The incident quickly escalated into a fierce exchange as security operatives attached to the convoy and responding police units engaged the attackers, leading to the death of four of the assailants while others were arrested at the scene.
Then Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Okiro, was central to the rapid security response that followed the attack. He was said to have coordinated the immediate deployment of reinforcement teams, sealed off the area, and ensured swift restoration of order amid the chaos. His command’s quick reaction was widely credited by security accounts at the time as instrumental in preventing the situation from degenerating further and in ensuring the safe extraction of the then governor without injury.
Reports around the incident linked the attackers to suspected elements of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, a group that was at the time involved in violent clashes with security agencies and rival factions in parts of Lagos State. Authorities also confirmed that several suspects were arrested during and after the operation as investigations were launched into the broader circumstances surrounding the attempted attack.
Tinubu, who escaped unhurt, later described the incident as a defining moment in the security challenges facing Lagos in the early years of Nigeria’s return to democratic rule. The episode, according to accounts, reinforced the urgency of strengthening policing structures and improving rapid response capacity in the state.
Okiro’s handling of the situation further strengthened his standing within Nigeria’s police leadership, particularly for his decisive command presence during high-risk political security incidents and his ability to mobilise coordinated responses under pressure.
Background: The 1999 attack took place during a period of heightened political tension and recurring violent confrontations involving armed groups in Lagos State as Nigeria transitioned into a new democratic era.
*Culled from True Verdict
