NEWS
Gunmen Kill Nine, Injure Scores in Kogi Community
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
No fewer than nine persons were in the late hours of Tuesday night allegedly killed and scores injured by unknown gunmen that attacked Bagana community in Omala local Government Area of Kogi state.
A local who survived by the whiskers the staccato gunshots and who did not want his name in print for the fear of being targeted by the militias told our correspondent that, the gunmen invaded a provision shop located in the heart of the village and opened fire killing four persons on the spot.
He added that the attackers then went on shooting spree in which many people who were running to escape were hit by stray bullets.
He disclosed that he counted five dead bodies from his hiding which included one Alias Barrister, a diesel oil dealer and a dispensary staff of the Local Government Health Center at Ogba, residing in Bagana.
Confirming the incident, the Force public Relations officer of the state command DSP William Aya said one Usman Salifu called the DPO on phone around 9.30pm on Tuesday that his shop has been attacked by gunmen leading to the death of his sales boy, Bashir Sule and three other customers, while scores sustained various degrees of injury.
He added that on receipt of the distress call, the DPO mobilised his men to the scene and evacuated some of the injured to the Hospital for treatment, adding that the force has commenced manhunt to bring the perpetrators to book.
He said peace has returned and assured the people to return home to continue with their legitimate businesses.
Another villager while recounting his ordeal to our correspondent said they were woken up from their sleep by the gunshots as they scampered into the bush for safety.
He lamented at the incessant killings of innocent citizens and wanton burning of their houses by the marauders since 2014 and called on the Federal Government and kogi state government and security agencies to come to their aid.
He added that the village had lost over 300 of her citizens and had lost property worth billions of naira to the unending attacks by the militias allegedly invited from Benue and Nasarawa states.
He said the crises which started between the Agatu militias and Fulani herders from Benue state has rendered the town to a ghost , as the efforts by the state government to curtail the carnage proved abortive.
According to him, about five months ago, the same shop which belonged to Musa Salifu one of the sons of an embattled Onu Otutubatu Alhaji Salifu Anyebe was attacked in which he sustained gunshots wounds.
The locals while recounting their ordeal noted that since December 2014, the village was on two occasions violently attacked resulting to the death of scores and burning down of houses.
They said the incessant killings by the militias forced the people to evacuate their families and property from their ancestral homes to become internally displaced persons IDP in neighbouring villages and to some states, lamenting that no sooner that lives have started returning to the community than the orgy of killings resumed again.
The Kogi State PPRO could not be reached for comment despite several efforts made by our correspondent.
The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, Thursday and Jan.1, 2025 as public holidays.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Ministry of Interior’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani, on Monday in Abuja.
According to Ajani, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said that the public holidays were to enable citizens to celebrate Christmas, Boxing Day and the New Year respectively.
“The Christmas season is a good moment for both spiritual reflection and national renewal.
“As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, let us demonstrate kindness and extend goodwill to one another, irrespective of our differences,” the Minister.
Tunji-Ojo emphasised the importance of the season as a time to foster harmony and to strengthen bonds across families and communities.
He assured citizens of the federal government’s continued commitment to ensuring peace, security, and prosperity across the nation.
He further expressed confidence in the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu’s administration for a better and prosperous economy in 2025.
The Minister, on behalf of the federal government sent warm greetings to all Nigerians, urging them to use the festive period to reflect on the values of love, peace, and unity that the season signifies.(NAN)
Some suspected hoodlums on Saturday attacked the palace of Etsu Lokoja, Chief Emmanuel Dauda-Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, burning properties within the premises, including a vehicle.
The palace, located on plot 306, New Layout, Lokoja, was allegedly attacked by hoodlums at about 1:00 am on Saturday.
The Nupe Natives of Lokoja Development Union were planning to host the 2nd edition of the Nupe Natives end-of-the-year event, tagged “Lokoja ’24 Nupe Cultural Fiesta,” on Dec.
21, 2024, before the incident occurred.The event was, however, aborted due to the unfortunate attack.
Dauda-Shelika said this on Monday in Lokoja that he heard a big bang on my door at around 1 am.
“I woke up to check through the window, wondering what could have happened.
“Then, I suddenly saw wildfire coming out of my car that was set ablaze by attackers.
“I knew it was an attack on the palace, and therefore I could not come out because of fear of being attacked. So, I managed to come out through the back door and scaled the fence to escape for my life.
“Thereafter, I came out to the road and realised that all my neighbours in the community were on the ground trying hard to quench the fire, but unfortunately the car was burnt as well as other properties inside it.”
The traditional ruler appealed to the government and security agencies to investigate the cause of the attack and bring perpetrators and their sponsors to justice.
He admonished Nupe natives in Lokoja to avoid any reprisal attack but continue to remain peaceful and law abiding and allow the government and security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation of the attack.
“We are appealing to Gov. Ahmed Ododo and security agencies to please use their good offices to investigate this unfortunate incident and bring to justice whoever is concerned, whether directly or indirectly.
“We also want the government to kindly visit our issues by recognising and grading the stool of Etsu Lokoja, which had been in existence before colonisation,” he said.
He stated that the Lokoja Local Government Area chairman and his security team came for an on-the-spot assessment that Saturday morning, as well as the police and other security outfits.
The National President, Nupe Natives Union Lokoja, Alh. Abubakar Ndashite, said the event scheduled for Saturday was a celebration of Nupe cultural heritage and not any form of coronation as being insinuated from some quarters.
Ndashite, who doubles as the chairman of the planning committee, said the aborted event was to project the Nupe spirit and culture as well as the rich history of the diversely composed Lokoja community and the peaceful and harmonious coexistence among her.
He expressed his displeasure over the aborted cultural event, noting that the union had expended so much on it, and urged the government to bring perpetrators to book. (NAN)
The Abia Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of eight persons with two others injured in a road traffic crash that occurred along the Bende-Ohafia Road.
A statement by the Sector Commander, Mrs Ngozi Ezeoma, on Monday in Umuahia said that the crash occurred on Sunday along the Mmuri River axis of the road in Ohafia Local Government Area of the state.
She said the crash involved a Trailer carrying chippings which hit and fell on a Sharon Volkswagen vehicle with 10 persons on board.
“At the time of the crash eight persons had died including a woman standing by the roadside and three were injured.
“The injured victims were taken to the hospital while the dead ones were deposited at the morgue,” she said.
Ezeoma said that preliminary investigation revealed that the crash was caused by dangerous driving and excessive speeding. (NAN)
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