Gunmen on Sunday attacked travellers on the desolate Takete Ide – Aghara Road in Mopamuro Local Government area of Kogi State, inflicting severe injuries and dispossessing them of their valuables.
The AK-47 wielding Fulani marauders numbering about a dozen were said to have seized the road in the afternoon and operated till evening. They harassed unfortunate wayfarers, detained, and forcefully collected their properties. Those who resisted were tortured to compliance.
Vanguard gathered that residents of Takete Ide, a peaceful agrarian community got intelligence on the attack at about 6pm, they quickly organized a resistance to dislodge the bandits from their reported location at the bank of Eba River.
“Local hunters led by the Olu-Ode (head of hunters) were promptly drafted to the spot. However, the gunmen had changed location and advancing towards the Village. The defending hunters were ambushed by the bandits, leading to an inevitable exchange of bullets.” a source from the community revealed.
The source who said three of the hunters sustained gun wounds, and one was missing in the night operation, however stressed that the hunters forced the attackers to a hasty retreat, “By dawn this morning (Monday) the missing hunter resurfaced to a rousy welcome in the village.”
The attack has created panic and a sleepless night in the community, with stakeholders calling on law enforcement agencies to come to the aid of the farming community.
Prince Dare Fiki, President, Takete-Ide Progressive Union (TIPU), who made frantic efforts to reach out to sons and daughters of the area for a harmonized response urged governments at all levels to come to their support.
Reacting, the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, said the government is on top of the situation. He disclosed that Governor Ododo had made the necessary contacts and directives to mobilise security agents to the area in addition to footing the medical bills of the injured.
“We are aware of the security breach in Mopamuro, and the governor has taken steps to arrest the situation and bring the perpetrators to book. As we speak, a joint security task has commenced operation on the matter. We urge the people to remain calm, vigilant, and law abiding. The security agencies have been briefed, and they are determined to flush out the criminals.”
Fanwo added that local government functionaries in Mopamuro, Kabba-Bunu and Ijumu have been put on alert about the infraction and assured that the government will not leave any stones unturned to guarantee security in the state.
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