No fewer than eight persons have been killed in a reprisal attack on Abugi, Kuchinda and Mikugi communities in Kupa Kingdom, Lokoja Local Area of Kogi State.
According to eyewitnesses, the attack was triggered by the alleged killing of an unarmed pastoralist by a member of a local vigilante group over suspicion of cattle rustling.
The incident reportedly sparked outrage among suspected herders, who subsequently invaded the affected communities and opened fire on residents.
Reacting to the development, the Kogi State Government condemned the killing of the pastoralist and the subsequent reprisal attack, describing both incidents as “tragic, senseless and unacceptable.”
Kingsley Femi Fanwo, commissioner for Information and Communications, in a statement said that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo had commiserated with the families of the victims and the entire Kupa Kingdom over the loss of lives, adding that the governor had directed security agencies to immediately take full control of the affected communities, restore normalcy and prevent further escalation of the crisis.
He equally disclosed that the governor has ordered the arrest of the vigilante member allegedly responsible for the killing of the pastoralist, as well as those behind the reprisal attack, including the leader of the Hybrid Vigilante Group allegedly linked to the assault.
He said: “The Kogi State Government condemns in the strongest terms both the killing of the unarmed herder and the subsequent reprisal attack. These are criminal acts that have no place in our society.
“Anyone found to have participated in either incident, regardless of status or ethnic affiliation, will face the full weight of the law”.
The commissioner appealed to residents of the affected communities to remain calm and shun further acts of retaliation, while urging them to provide security agencies with credible information that could assist ongoing investigations.
He said that the state government was working with security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders to restore lasting peace in Kupa Kingdom and rebuild confidence among residents.
Fanwo reaffirmed the Ododo administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state, stressing that those responsible for the killings would be brought to justice.
As of the time of filing this report, Afusat Oyiza Salihu, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
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