Two killed in Abocho, as gunshots from men in police uniform scare away voters in Kogi East.
Two persons have reportedly lost their lives in Abocho community in Dekina local government area during the Saturday governorship election in Kogi state.
Natives gave the names of the victims as Umoru Shuaib and Faruk Suleiman.
Witnesses said the incident happened while voting was going at Barrack polling unit 1.
They said the assailants from all indications came for Umoru Shaibu, one of the victims in the attack.
“They came in a bus while voting was taking place and were in police uniform, so we didn’t suspect anything.
“Umoru had voted and was chatting with Faruk close to the poling unit, when the bus drove by.
“Non of the occupants who were in police uniform alighted from the vehicle.
‘We just heard gunshots and shouts from the victims as well as onlookers. In the ensuing pandemonium, the attackers drove off,” Michael Ochimamna relays the incident to Daily Trust.
The major street in the ancient town was deserted when our correspondent visited the area.
Stones and sticks littered the road, while tyres earlier burnt by youths protesting the attack were still emitting smoke.
Our correspondent reports that there were also sporadic gunshots in some communities in Kogi East shortly after the commencement of voting.
The gunshots were heard in Emewe Okpada, part of Ajiyolo communities in Dekina local government area of the state.
In Aikpele-Ajaka polling unit 002, Igalamela-Odolu local government, armed men wearing mask reportedly shot sporadically into the air, disrupting the exercise as voters and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) took to their heels in all direction.
Natives said the assailants snatched ballot boxes and drove away.
Credit: Daily Trust
