Olu Samuel, Lokoja

An unspecified number of people have been killed when gunmen invaded Bassa Local government area in Kogi

The Killings were confirmed by the State House of Assembly member representing Bassa Local Government Area., Honourable Sunday Daku on Wednesday.

In a motion of urgent public importance moved by the lawmaker on the floor of the house at Wednesday’s plenary, Hon. Sunday Daku lamented that several persons have been killed by unknown gunmen in his Local Government.

According to him, ” Bassa Local Government Area was noted for peaceful co- existence, devoid of tribal, religion or political crisis , until in the year 2016 when the inter-tribal crisis broke out.

“Former Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello carefully managed the crisis and returned total peace to Bassa Local Government Area and that peace was sustained till His Excellency, the present Governor of Kogi State ,Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo came on board.

“The same relative peace that His Excellency Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo inherited from his immediate predecessor Alhaji Yahaya Bello is now being hampered by unknown gunmen who now go about killing innocent citizens of Bassa Local Government Area.

“About two months back, a man went to his farm, and met his untimely death by unknown gunmen. As if that was not enough, on Wednesday 23rd of October 2024, residents of Sheria town and other suburbs woke-up with shocking and sad news when three illustrious sons of the land met their death by yet to be identified gunmen.

“On Thursday 24th October 2024 again two settlers in Sheria were brazenly killed by yet to be identified gunmen”.

The lawmaker prayed that Kogi State Government should direct security agencies to intensify more effort to avert further lost of lives in Bassa Local Government Area.

Daku also wants the government to direct security agencies to swing into action in fishing out the perpetrators and make them face the full wrath of the law.

In his contributions, the member representing Ajaokuta State Constituency Hon Abu Onoru-Oiza Jibrin explained that the attacks in Bassa Local Government is getting out of hand, adding that farmers are mostly the targets.

His words ” This sketchy attacks is usually targeted against farmers in the various local government areas where farming is taking place. We have also discovered that no value is being placed on human life anymore by these attacks.

” I am privileged to have seen some gory images from these incidents where people’s heads were beheaded, intestines removed. This is not good for our State. There must be an urgent action to safe the lives of our people”.

Major Enefola of Igalamela State constituency called for the removal of some security officers in Bassa Local Government, alleging that they are accomplices in the killings of innocent people in the area.

In his ruling, the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Aliyu Yusuf directed the House committee on security to carry out a comprehensive investigation using local vigilantes to know the possible course of the killings in Bassa Local Government.

He urged the security agencies in the Local Government to apprehend the perpetuators of the crime so that they can face the full wrath of the law.