Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.

Bandits invade agricultural reserve forest in Kogi, maim scores, loot properties worth millions of naira

Some armed youths suspected to be bandits have allegedly invaded Ewune, an economically viable agricultural settlement in Egume district of Dekina local government area of Kogi state, maiming scores of people and destroying properties worth millions of naira.

Residents of the area who narrowly escaped to Lokoja, disclosed that the group comprising of mostly young men armed with dangerous weapons stormed the community in trucks and tippers.

The eye witness explained that the Invaders on arrival started shooting sporadically, causing panic which led to the entire people in the village to scamper for safety, while the Village head, Ochai Onu-Egume, Chief Olema Akpali, was said to have fainted and rushed to one of the clinics in the area.

It was also reported that some properties such as houses,water storage tanks, vehicles and personal effects were destroyed, just as the marauders also dwelt on shops, looted and drank all the beer and beverages in some restaurants and destroyed empty bottles.

A community leader, Mr. Matthew Audu, said the bandits invaded the community in five trucks with AK 47 rifles, went away with some domestic animals, 200 Jericans of palm oil, 13 motorcycles and set ablaze some motorcycles while other valuable property were also destroyed.

Audu said that people of the community reported several threats by this group to the Divisional Police Office, Egume, on the incessant invasions of Ewune farms by a group of saw millers allegedly belonging to an Ejule man in Ofu local government area of Kogi state.

He said when the alleged saw millers of Ejule were, confronted over the wanton and indiscriminate felling of Iroko and other economic trees, they allegedly claimed that the government of governor Yahaya Bello was aware of their activities in the forest.

It was also gathered that these groups of people have been invading the community at will, looted and drank beer in their restaurants freely, kill their domestic animals whenever they were hungry and move away from the community unchallenged

Some members of the community suspected that the posting on Facebook of a recent invasion by the group who were on a free drinking spree at a restaurant in the community, might have
irked them to attack the community.

In his reaction, the chairman of the security committee of Egume Community, Hon. Gowon Omale condemned the destruction at Ewune-Egume community, describing it as a terrorist acts.

He said efforts must be intensified to forward the matter to the Authority concerned to avoid reoccurrence.

When contacted, the Kogi state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Williams Aya, said it was a horrific scene at Ewune-Egume community on Saturday when suspected bandits or insurgents launched an attack on the peace loving people of Ewune.

He said while a special squad is on the trails of the criminals,. a thorough investigation into the matter has commenced, assuring that the perpetrators will be arrested to face the full wrath of the law.