At least four persons have been confirmed killed while two others sustained varying degrees of injuries from gunmen suspected to be hoodlums at Ofeapo along Idris-Bagana Road in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Sources disclosed that the victims who were returning from the war-torn Bagana Market around 8:30p.m. on Thursday were ambushed and killed by suspected bandits.
It was learnt that the victims who were mainly traders were travelling in a commercial tricycle when gunmen opened fire on them at close range, killing four on the spot, while the two lucky survivors are being treated of their injuries at a nearby medical facility.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Aya, confirmed the incident and said one person, the rider of the tricycle, was killed while two others who sustained injuries were rushed to medical facilities in Abejukolo, headquarters of Omala Local Government Area.
He explained that the Commissioner for Police, CP Edward Egbuka, has mobilised a tactical squad and officers of the Division to the scene to possibly fish out the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the paramount ruler of Omala Local Government Area Traditional Council, HRH Boniface Musa, the Ojogba of Ife, has condemned the dastardly act and prayed to God to give the family of the victims fortitude to bear the loss.
The monarch decried the incessant attacks on the Bagana people by unknown gunmen, lamenting that “these killings have taken the peace process back, at a time when all hands have been on deck for the safe return of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.”
He, therefore, appealed to the state Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello to as a matter of urgency wade into the lingering Bagana crises that have killed tens of people and rendered many homeless.
The Ojogba of Ife urged the governor to implement the recommendations of the Col. Suleiman Babanawa (rtd.)- led committee and called for the deployment of the security agencies to Bagana town to forestall further bloodshed in the communities.
Sources further revealed that those who were killed are two males and two females who are natives of Bagana but had to relocate to Abejukolo in the wake of the senseless killings in the communities.
The locals lamented at the killing which they said, was one too many for a community that had been under seizure for more than a decade.
The inhabitants decried the barbaric actions of the assailants who shot and killed Mrs. Zainabu Abdullahi in front of her six months old boy and chopped off the head of another victim, as the lad mysteriously survived the attack.
They called on Governor Bello to take over the security architecture in the community as efforts by his officials in the local government have not been able to stop the carnage.
Only recently, the Attah Igala HRM Matthew Alaji Opaluwa, gave directives to the belligerents to lay down their arms and embrace peace or be ready to face the wrath of the law.
However, with the assurances of his Royal Majesty of the workable peace process, submission of the Committee Reports in the past weeks, and the assurance by the chairman of the council, Ibrahim Aboh, to guarantee security for the people, the market was opened before the ugly incident.
Credit-Thisday Newspaper
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