Four people have been killed while two others sustained various degrees of injuries in a late night attack on traders by gunmen suspected to be bandits at Ofeapo along Idrisu-Bagana Road in Omala local government area of Kogi State.
The victims, who were returning from a market in war-torn Bagana on
Thursday, were ambushed and killed by suspected bandits.
A source said that the victims, who were mainly traders were
traveling in a Tricycle popularly known as Keke NAPEP when gunmen opened fire on them at a close range, killing four on the spot, while the two lucky survivors were evacuated to a nearby medical
facility.
However, spokesperson of the Kogi State Police Command, SP William Aya, while confirming the incident, said only one person, who was the rider of the Tricycle, was killed while two others sustained injuries and were rushed to a medical facility in Abejukolo, headquarters of Omala LGA.
He said the Commissioner of Police, CP Edward Egbuka, has mobilised a
tactical squad and officers of the Division to the scene to possibly
fish out the perpetrators.
The traditional ruler of Bagana, HRH Boniface Musa, condemned the attack and prayed to God to give the family of the victims the fortitude to bear the loss.
He decried the incessant attacks on the Bagana people by unknown gunmen, lamenting that the killing has taken the peace process aback at a time when all hands have been on deck for safe return of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their homes.
He appealed to the State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to, as matter of
urgency, wade into the lingering Bagana crisis that has killed tens of
people and rendered many homeless.
While urging the governor to implement the recommendations of the Col. Suleiman Babanawa (rtd)-led Committee, he called for the deployment of security agents to Bagana town to forestall further bloodshed in the community.
According to the locals, those who were killed were two males and two females, who are natives of Bagana but had to relocate to Abejukolo in the wake of the killings in the community.
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