By Ralph Agbana.
Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) has appealed for calm as protests erupted in Egbe, Yagba West Local Council in Kogi State Wednesday evening over the killing of three policemen and two vigilantes. Karimi in a statement on Wednesday evening assured the youths and residents of the efforts of the state and the federal government as well as the security agencies in flushing out criminals from Kogi State.
Senator Karimi sympathized and appealed to the protesting youths, leading to the blockage of the Ilorin-Egbe road to remain calm, pointing out that while it is obvious that they are not happy, “we who are their representatives as well as the Government are equally not happy”.
The wave of tragedies and the resultant commotion in the locality started with Wednesday morning’s attack by bandits at a police checkpoint, killing three officers. The incident was said to have occurred at Ofili police checkpoint along Egbe-Okunran-Pategi Road. According to one of the surviving officers, the assailants had hidden themselves in the midst of herds, emerging from behind the cows to open fire on the unsuspecting victims.
Subsequently, at midday on Wednesday, two members of the state government funded vigilante service also fell to the bullets of the criminals in similar incident that occurred along Egbe-Eruku-Ilorin Road, bringing the number of casualties to five, in one day.
Irate youths in Egbe, commercial nerve of Yagba West Council, responded to the twin incidence with roadblocks and burning tyres which they mounted at entry points to the community.
In the melee, several trailers were left stranded along the Egbe-Isanlu-Kabba federal road.
In a related development, also on Wednesday, an 18-seater bus was reportedly attacked, and all passengers kidnapped between Lokoja and Obajana, also in Kogi West.
Concerned by the development, Senator Karimi described the escalation of insecurity in area as “mind-boggling”, especially given the recent successes recorded by the Federal and state governments and the security agencies in curtailing insecurity in the area.
Noting that government is on top of the situation, he disclosed that members of the National Assembly from the senatorial district in conjunction with the state government and security agencies are working collectively and round the clock towards ensuring that cases of insecurity are nipped in the bud.
“I therefore use this medium to sympathize with those who lost their lives and those of their loved ones in the attacks, particularly their immediate families. The People’s problem are our problem”, he said.
He noted that security agencies have been alerted to Wednesday’s attacks killings and are making frantic and sincere efforts in ensuring that criminal elements involved in the latest killings are arrested and brought to book.
“My office has been inaudated with reported cases of killings on the out sketch of Egbe Okoleke Isanlu Esa road where three policemen were ambushed and killed”.
“There was also another reported case, this evening that the Vigilantee Operations Post along Egbe Eruku road, a boundary town between Kogi and Kwara State was attacked with the killing of two Vigilantee officers. There was also a reported case of Kidnapping along Obajana Lokoja road, where a 18 seater bus was attacked with people kidnapped..These issues are mind boogling. I have also been told that this evening, there was a reported case of Youth protest, blocked the Ilorin Egbe road, with several youths protesting due to the insecurity. The action of the protesters has made about 1000 trailers to be trapped on the road”.
“It is unfortunate that States all over the Federation are witnessing some level of insecurity, thus making them to be over stretched. What is happening is not peculiar to Kogi State alone. The Government is doing it best. I call calm and for support that will enable Government and security agencies flush out criminals in the State”, Sen. Karimi said.
