Tragedy struck in Kogi State on Sunday morning when gunmen launched coordinated attacks on police checkpoints in two local government areas, killing four officers and a passerby.
The first incident occurred at Abugi village in Lokoja Local Government Area at about 10:30am. Armed men riding on motorcycles reportedly opened fire on security operatives manning a checkpoint. Two policemen were killed on the spot, while a young man believed to be a passerby was caught in the crossfire.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants shot indiscriminately to scare off resistance before carting away the officers’ rifles. “We suddenly heard gunshots from the direction of the checkpoint,” said a resident, Danlami Nasir. “People ran for safety, and by the time the dust settled, two policemen and another man in plain clothes were dead.”
Barely an hour later, another group of gunmen struck along Ilafin Road in Isanlu, Yagba East Local Government Area. Two mobile policemen attached to MOPOL 70 were killed in the attack. The development threw the community into panic, with many residents fleeing indoors for fear of further violence.
A resident, Babagbemi Oyekanmi, lamented the spate of attacks. “If policemen with guns are not safe, then ordinary people like us are in even greater danger. It seems these bandits are desperate to seize weapons and keep terrorising communities.”
The Chairman of Yagba East Local Government, Dr Joshua Dare, condemned the killings in strong terms, describing the slain officers as “martyrs of peace and guardians of justice.” He said, “This tragic incident is not only an attack on the police but also on the peace and stability of our land. Their sacrifice must not be in vain.”
The latest assault comes barely two weeks after five security operatives, including three policemen and two vigilante members, were ambushed and killed in Egbe, Yagba West Local Government.
The Kogi State Government had only last week accused some youths of colluding with criminal elements, vowing to clamp down on those it described as “terrorists in disguise.”
As of press time, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP William Aya, had not responded to calls or text messages seeking official reaction to the killings.
