Two killed, police officer shot in robbery attack in Kogi

Robbers on Saturday reportedly struck along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja highway, killing two commuters and shooting a police office at a nearby roadblock.

The incident, which occurred in Osara, a farming community between Itakpe and the Kabba junction, around 6pm, resulted in drivers abandoning their vehicles.

Travellers, who sought safety, were denied access to houses around the area.

The Nation reliably gathered the two deceased were siblings of Ebira stock resident in Katsina State.

They were said to have briefly returned home on a visit and were on their way back to their station when killed.

One of the travellers told The Nation she eventually arrived her Lokoja residence around 1am on Sunday.

The woman, who pleaded anonymity, said she took off from Lagos where she had remained with her husband and children since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, around 7am on Friday.

She said the traffic from Berger, in Lagos till after Ibadan, Oyo state slowed down their movement.

The distraught woman, who said she boarded the Lokoja bound vehicle from Mile 12, added she and others escaped the attack by sheer providence.

According to her: “We boarded our vehicle from Lagos around 7am but encountered heavy ‘go-slow,’ and not until till after Ibadan, were we totally free from it.

“We got to Osara after 6pm. Our driver was following closely behind the vehicle that was attacked. Somewhere, the driver had to stop for a passenger who was pressed, to urinate, after which we saw oncoming motors flagging us to stop; that there was a robbery operation ahead.

“People ran helter skelter but the residents will not allow us to take refuge in their houses. They said that if they did, the robbers will search them out one by one.

“After quite a while, other vehicles continued on their journey, but ours will not start. The driver made contacts and a motor mechanic came over from the Kabba Junction to attend to it.

“When we got to the point of the attack, we heard that two brothers were shot and killed while a policeman at the nearby checkpoint was shot in the leg.

“We heard that their remains were later evacuated and deposited at the State Specialist Hospital in Lokoja.”

Kogi Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. William Aya, was yet to get back as promised as at the time of filing this report. (The Nation)