The killing of a final year secondary school student identified as Kola Sunday few days to his final examination in Odo Ere, headquarters of Yagba West Local Government Area, LGA, kogi state by blood thirsty gunmen, has thrown the community into mourning and panic.
Kola Sunday, a senior secondary school 3 student of United Comprehensive College, Gbaraga, and two of his friends had gone to the farm in search of wood to make a hoe on Saturday when they encountered the evil men who made for their abduction.
On impulse, the scared boys attempted to escape, prompting the criminals, suspected to be Fulani to halt their speed with decisive gunshots.
The fatal incident occurred on Saturday, May 3rd, just two days before Sunday was scheduled to sit for his first paper in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) on Monday, May 5th.
According to sources in the community, Sunday and his two younger siblings were working on their family farm when they were ambushed by the assailants. While his brothers managed to escape and return home, Sunday was not so fortunate. He was reportedly shot in the head and died on the spot before any help could reach him.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, though the community suspects the involvement of herders due to the nature of recent tensions in the area.
The tragic killing has sparked outrage and grief across the community, with residents calling for swift investigations and improved security in the region to prevent further loss of innocent lives.
According to the Babatunde Muyiwa Stephen, the spokesperson of the Better Yagba West Youths Forum, “the death of of the young man ,Kola Sunday is not only a blow to his family and friends but also a dark stain on the collective conscience of Yagba society.
“We vehemently condemn this senseless act of violence. The loss of such a promising young soul at the prime age of his life and academic career is both heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable. Our hearts go out to Kola’s family, his classmates, and all those affected by this tragedy”.
The group in a statement called on the Yagba West Local Government Authority, the leadership of Ere community, security agencies, and all critical stakeholders to synergize efforts in finding lasting solutions to the growing insecurity threatening the peace and stability of Yagba West
The Kogi state police command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Aya who was contacted over the ugly development promised to reach out to the operatives of the command in the area to get the true picture of the incident.
