Police, soldiers storm Kogi communities over renewed clash

Some unidentified persons have been feared killed in a renewed communal clash between Igburra and Bassa militia, Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State.

A source close to the community told Sunday PUNCH that the renewed crisis began on Monday, May 30, when two Bassa indigenes were killed at a farm at Uga-Cheure near Oguma and Korumu near Udogbo, both in Bassa LGA of the state.

The source said the incident was due to past clashes between the Igburra Mozum people and Bassas in the area.

The source said, “The Bassa people were said to have believed that it was Igburra Mozum people who carried out the killings though the perpetrators were not apprehended at the scene of the crime.

“In spite of these misgivings, the Bassa were said to have reported the incident to the Divisional Police Headquarters at Oguma and remained calm.

As the dust of the killings had yet to settle, the source said two Bassa indigenes were again killed at a farm in Sheria and Korumu by unidentified attackers.

The source added, “In the early hours of Saturday, June 4, another crisis erupted at Udogbo with the burning of houses by unidentified men.

“Security agents, the police and the army stationed at Oguma swung into action to quell the crisis of both Monday, May 30 and Thursday, June 2, 2022.

“By Saturday morning, both the police and a detachment of the army moved to Udogbo town to repel the invading gunmen,” he added.

A resident, Mr Keke Kaku, who spoke with our correspondent at Oguma, said Bassa claimed that since the crisis erupted on Monday, six of their people had been killed by the invading gunmen.

Another source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted that over 18 persons had lost their lives from both the Igburras and the Bassas with property worth millions of naira burnt to ashes in Udogbo town.

A member representing Bassa LGA constituency at the Kogi State House of Assembly, Ranji Daniya, called on the people of Bassa to maintain peace.

He urged the security agents to leave no stone unturned in arresting the perpetrators of the act. He noted that the state had zero tolerance for any form of criminality.

Also, Executive Chairman, Bassa LGA, Muktar Shuaibu, who also visited the affected areas, called for calm to allow security agencies to do their jobs.

He added that citizens should be vigilant and give relevant information to security operatives to ensure the prosecution of the perpetrators.

Contacted, state police spokesperson, SP Williams Ayah, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.

Ayah said the state police command had returned normalcy to the troubled communities by its quick intervention.

“I can confirm this incident. We have deployed our men to the affected areas and normalcy has returned. Some men of the Nigeria Army were also deployed and the situation has been put under control,” he said.

On the number of casualties, Ayah said, “There was no casualty following the renewed attack.” (Sunday PUNCH)