Residents Of Invaded Kogi Community Seek Military Presence

Fleeing residents of Agojeju-Odo community in Omala local government area of Kogi State have pleaded with the federal and state governments to assist them to return home after last Thursday’s attack on their community by bandits. LEADERSHIP reports that armed men launched an attack on the peaceful Agojeju-Odo community, killing 25 persons, leaving some injured and displacing several others.

Some of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) made the appeal when journalists visited them at Bagaji-Odo community on Saturday.

A 67-year-old, Mrs Patience Akauwu, said that life had become hard for them, having lost their farm produce to the attackers.

“We have been displaced and suffering here in Bagaji-Odo due to lack of food and a conducive place to stay. All we are asking for is the federal and state governments to assist in providing adequate security for us to return home,” she pleaded.

Also, a 75-year-old victim of the attack, Joshua Salifu, narrated how he had been separated from his wife and children since the day of the attack on the community.

He explained that he had not seen his family and he hasn’t heard from them since the day the village was attacked.

Speaking of the attack, which occurred between 3.30pm and 4.00pm on Thursday, Salifu said: “At that time, we were running for our dear lives. I’m here in Bagaji-Odo not know where my wife and children are.

“I took part in the burial of the 25 persons killed, but my wife or any of my children was not among them,” he said.

Salifu said that he was afraid to go back to the village to search for his loved ones because they heard that the attackers would still return to their village.

Another IDP, Paul Achabo, a farmer, begged the government to help set up military presence in Agojeju-Odo community, which is a border village between Benue and Kogi States.

Achabo said unless there was adequate security in the community, they could not go back for fear that the bandits might return.

According to him, all their foodstuffs such as yam, cassava, maize, cashew and beans were carted away by the bandits.

The district head of Bagaji-Odo, Chief David Akpa, also pleaded with the government to come to the aid of the IDPs and the affected communities.

“This is because we don’t have the kind of sophisticated weapons the bandits have to face them. God knows we have no problem with the herdsmen around us but why they did this to our people we don’t understand,” the traditional ruler stated.