The IGP said detectives conducted a diligent investigation to arrive at the conclusion.

The Federal Government was not involved in the plan to kill a former military ruler, Muhammadu Buhari, an interim investigation by the police has revealed, according to the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba.

Mr. Abba stated this on Monday shortly before holding a closed door meeting with senior police officers to strategise on how to deal with current security challenges in the country.

Mr. Buhari, a leader of Nigeria’s main opposition party, APC, survived a bomb explosion in Kaduna on July 23. The explosion was believed to have targeted the opposition leader.

“I was personally involved in a clearly targeted bomb attack today along Ali Akilu Road, Kawo-Kaduna at about 2:30 p.m. on my way to Daura,” Mr. Buhari said after the attack.

“The unfortunate event, clearly an assassination attempt, came from a fast moving vehicle that made many attempts to overtake my security car but was blocked by my escort vehicle.

“We reached the market area of Kawo where he took advantage of our slowing down and attempted to ram my car and instantly detonated the bomb which destroyed all the three cars in our convoy,” he added.

No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion, amidst allegations that the federal government was responsible for the explosion. The police had since commenced its investigations.

“Detectives constituted by the immediate past IGP conducted a very diligent investigation,” Mr. Abba said.

According him, the team, which included forensic experts, visited the scene of the bombing, victims in hospital and conducted interviews with Mr. Buhari and those with him.

“So far, they have come out with a finding and the finding is that the Federal Government is not involved,” the police chief added.

Mr. Abba said the only suspect arrested in connection with the incident was being held by the military. He said he could not say if the suspect had made any useful statement.

He said the police had arrested the suspect on two or three occasions in the past in connection with a crime the police would not disclose.

While one of the twin bomb explosions in Kaduna on July 23 targeted Mr. Buhari, another targeted a respected Islamic cleric, Dahiru Bauchi.

Dozens of people were later confirmed to have died from the two explosions.

(NAN)