The Kogi State Government has commiserated with families who lost loved ones in reprisal killings that swept through Abugi, Kuchinda and Mikugi communities in Kupa Kingdom, Lokoja Local Government Area, vowing that those behind the attacks will be arrested and prosecuted.
In a statement issued Thursday, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, described the killings as tragic, senseless and unacceptable, insisting that no grievance or misunderstanding should ever degenerate into the taking of innocent lives.
Fanwo said Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and the wider Kupa Kingdom, praying for the peaceful repose of the deceased and comfort for those left behind.
According to the commissioner, preliminary reports indicate the violence began after an unarmed herder was allegedly shot dead by a member of a local vigilante group on suspicion of cattle rustling. The killing was followed by a reprisal attack allegedly carried out by armed persons who targeted innocent residents across the three communities, leaving multiple people dead and tensions running high in the area.
Fanwo said Governor Ododo has directed security agencies to take immediate control of the situation, restore peace and prevent any further breakdown of law and order. The governor has also ordered the arrest of the vigilante member accused of killing the herder, along with those responsible for the reprisal attack — including the leader of the Hybrid Vigilante Group suspected of coordinating the assault. Fanwo assured the public that everyone found culpable would be brought to justice.
“The Kogi State Government condemns in the strongest terms both the killing of the unarmed herder and the subsequent reprisal attack. These are criminal acts that have no place in our society. Anyone found to have participated in either incident, regardless of status or ethnic affiliation, will face the full weight of the law,” Fanwo said.
He appealed to residents to remain calm and resist the temptation to carry out further reprisals, and urged members of the public to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information to aid ongoing investigations and arrests.
Fanwo added that the state government is working closely with security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders to restore lasting peace across Kupa Kingdom and rebuild confidence among the affected communities. He reiterated the governor’s commitment to protecting every resident of the state, stressing that the administration will continue to uphold justice, strengthen peaceful coexistence and ensure criminals have no hiding place anywhere in Kogi State.
