Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
There was pandemonium in Ogene Igah in Olamaboro local government area of Kogi state when some armed men stormed the resident of the Vice Chairman of the Council Hon. Blessing Ekele, Magajia 1, shooting sporadically.
According to reports from the area the assailants invaded the Village last week Wednesday and headed straight to the resident of the Vice Chairman at about 7 pm where they triggered off gun shots that would have sniffed life out of her.
Eye witnesses from Ogene Igah , disclosed that the intensity of the gun shots so scared the young men in the village that they feared nearing the scene, while many residents ran to nearby forest to take cover, before the arrival of security agents.
It was also learnt that the young men and vigilante group in the area became incapacitated in view of the superior fire power of the marauders who were believed to be armed to the teeth in the course of their wicked mission to eliminate the Magajiya 1 of Uke.
“I was by the road trying to make calls due to lack of network in my village, suddenly, I heard gunshots and turned to look at the direction of the sound of the shots, and I saw gunfire live coming at my direction .
“A vehicle, on charter from Otukpa, conveying a woman and her two sons said to be mentally unstable and her sister was flagged down. I saw four young men ran out of bush, firing and asking the driver to pack; at that point, I ran into the house.
“The gunshots were massive, and after a while they came to my house and fired about 7 shots, and released more bullets after leaving my house. They abducted the driver of the Golf car, took the woman’s phones, money and ran back into the bush”, Hon. Blessing Ekele recounted her ordeal.
She said the patrol team of men of the Nigerian Police Force and Navy, Neighborhood watch and other vigilantes group came to the scene of the incident that night and took the woman and her children to the police station at Okpo, the headquarters of the local government.
However, Hon. Friday Adejoh Nicodemus, the Executive Chairman of Olamaboro local government who was among the early callers at the residence of his vice chairman to sympathise with her over the incident vowed to uncover the hide out of the resurfaced criminals that are terrorising people in the axis of the state .
In his determination to deal with recurring ugly activities of the hoodlums in the area, the council chairman held a closed door meeting with security agencies in the area, including the local Vigilante group, neighborhood watch and hunters; and ordered them to synergize and bring the perpetrators to book.
Although, unconfirmed report held that the attackers may be Fulani herdsmen, but a source said no matter the status of the criminals, they won’t be succeeding without an insider.
As part of the decision to ride off the criminals from the area, especially from Inele to Otukpa branch and other axis being used by these criminals, the council has constituted a joint task force which comprises men of Nigerian police force, Navy ratings, neighborhood watch, hunters and other vigilante group to that effect .
Already, some equipment have been provided to the constituted group, especially, the vigilante group and hunters by the council to flush out the criminals.
Shortly after a closed door meeting of the constituted joint task force, council chairman and his vice, the team visited the scene of the incident for first hands information, that will assist them have a direction of operation.
The task force is said to have started combing the bush of the areas since Thursday 12th to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
