How ‘Horsemen of Death’ Moved Into Kogi Hinterland

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Outrage and condemnation have continued to trail the bloodletting in Kogi East Senatorial District (Igalaland) in the past few weeks perpetrated by gunmen suspected to be herders.

Communities in Bassa and Omala local government areas of the state came under deadly attacks which led to the deaths of many, displacement of scores of residents  and destruction of property worth millions of naira.

Among the communities attacked were Ojuwo Ajomaigbi in Bassa Local Government Area as well as Agbenema, Ajichepa, Ayade and Opada in Omala Local Government Area.

Fear has, as a result, enveloped the length and breadth of Igalaland as the marauders are said to be still lurking in the bushes waiting for opportunities to strike.

Scores of people have deserted the adjoining communities where the attacks took place for fear of the unknown.

Ojuwo Ajomaigbi, an agrarian Igala community in Bassa Local Government Area recently turned a killing field following the invasion by gunmen suspected to be herders.

Peaceful farming community ravaged  

Ojuwo Ajomaigbi is a farm settlement on the outskirts of Ogane-Enigu in Dekina Local Government Area of the state. The community is blessed with vast farmlands and the inhabitants’ economic mainstay is production of crops such as yams, cassava, maize, beans, groundnuts, cashews and locust beans, among others.

However, the once peaceful community with over 1,000 inhabitants recently came under a deadly attack from gunmen who killed, maimed and razed virtually all the houses.

Inhabitants of the community woke up to a bright morning on Wednesday, March 14.

It was about 7am and they were getting set for the day’s activities when the marauders in large numbers suddenly struck and left behind tales of deaths and destruction.

Bloodstains, burnt motorcycles 

On the way to the village, our correspondent saw some motorcycles burnt by the attackers, perhaps after hacking their owners to death.

Dried bloodstains on the ground, fresh grave sites, razed houses and littered personal effects all over the place testified to the terror.

Survivors told Daily Trust that the attack was devastating and traumatic.

Over 500 invaders unleash terror

Samaila Maji said over 500 people invaded the village in the early hours of the day with sophisticated weapons and shot at residents and youths tried in vain to repel them. Overwhelmed residents tried to run for their lives, but many of them mowed down in a hail of bullets while others were hacked to death with machetes.

“They killed about 25 of our people here. Apart from that, they also killed about six of our people at Ogbakaka and some who were injured are still in hospital.

“They made away with foodstuff and  valuables including cash and about 45 motorcycles. There is virtually no young man without a motorcycle in this village,” Maji said.

According to him, many of the displaced moved to Anyigba, Etutukpe, Iyale and other parts of Dekina Local Government Area for refuge.

He said the village which is somehow inaccessible coupled with the lack of security presence made it easy for the attackers to easily unleash terror on the people unchallenged.

Desperate call for assistance

Another survivor, Reuben Usman, appealed to the government to urgently come to their aid as they lost virtually everything in the attack.

Aaron Baba who lost his father in the  attack, said he was yet to come to terms with the reality of what had befallen his people.

“They came in and took us by surprise. They came in military camouflage with AK-47 rifles and you can see the empty bullet shells scattered all over here.

“I am appealing to the government for assistance. We had been friendly with the Fulani to the extent of engaging in trade until recently when they started acting like Boko Haram”, he said.

He alleged that the mission of the attackers was to sack their villages so they could graze their cattle freely.

Aged monarch chooses to die in his palace 

In Omala, a traditional ruler, Chief Musa Edibo and nine other persons were killed and many houses were burnt.

The late aged chief could not run when the attackers invaded, Daily Trust gathered. It was learnt that some residents tried to rescue him but he told them that he would rather stay back in his palace and be killed rather than die elsewhere.

Our correspondent gathered that the attackers set his palace ablaze and he was burnt to death in the inferno.

It was further learnt that the attackers also killed six persons at Iyade village while two others were killed at Ajichepa village.

According to residents, the house of a former vice chairman of Omala Local Government Area, Adofu Stephen and dozens of other houses were burnt in the  attack.

According to residents, security personnel deployed to the area did not come to their rescue while the attack lasted.

Stakeholders complain, appeal to govt

Various stakeholders in the state have condemned the coordinated attacks and called on the government/security agencies to put a stop it.

The senator representing Kogi East, Atai Aidoko, called for urgent actions to end the killings, saying Fulani herdsmen invaded communities in Bassa, Dekina and Omala local government areas and not “armed bandits” as believed in certain quarters.

Aidoko said the attacks resulted fromthe Kogi State government’s policy to establish cattle colonies for herdsmen thereby giving them “express license” to unleash violence on the indigenes.

Not armed bandits 

The senator said the argument that the attacks were carried out by armed bandits would amount to indictment on security agencies and state government that had “deliberately failed” in their duties to protect lives and properties of citizens.

“My people are predominantly agrarian people who are into full time farming and I have been ambushed by the herdsmen in the course of pastoral activities, eating up farm products and crops cultivated over the years.

“The herdsmen will now resort to reinforcement using arms, ammunitions and mercenaries to maim and kill innocent people in my area with ease”, he said.

The Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Femi Olugbemi, condemned the killings in Igalaland and urged security agencies to arrest the situation and bring the perpetrators to book.

He cautioned that the killings in some parts of the state should not be politicized.

Governor Bello reacts 

Meanwhile, Governor Yahaya Bello has said that his administration would live up to its responsibilities and would not play politics with the lives of people.

The governor, who spoke during his visit to the scene of the attack at Ojuwo Ajomaigbi, said a judicial commission of inquiry would be set up to look into the remote and immediate causes of the attacks.

“We shall unravel everything behind the attack. It will be the first and the last attack in Igalaland and Kogi State at large”, he said.

He added that government would continue to collaborate with various security agencies in the state to ensure protection of lives and property.

The governor said his government would as much as possible find ways of providing comfort for those displaced and commended the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for their intervention which ensured that the attack did not spread to other communities.

The government has in the meantime promised N5 million reward for anyone  who volunteers information that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.

A statement signed by the Director General,  Media and Publicity to the Governor, Kingsley Fanwo said intelligence reports showed that the attackers at Agbenema on Monday, March 19 appeared to be the same group which attacked Ojuwo Ajomaigbi near Oganenigu in Dekina Local Government Area five days earlier.

“The Kogi State government and the security services are sparing neither expense nor effort to track down these murderers and ensure justice is served.

“We once again reiterate our total commitment as a government to the security of lives and property…”

The statement urged members of the public with useful information to either call or send text messages to the phone number; 0705 889 0048.

Credit: Daily Trust


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