12 persons were killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in parts of Kogi East during the outgoing week Governor Yahaya Bello stated yesterday.
He assured a judicial panel will be instituted to unravel what took place during a spot visit to Oganeinigu.
He commended the army and other security arms whose efforts he said brought normalcy to the area.
He condoled with the people, assuring that such will not repeat itself again.
His words: “I want to assure the people that Kogi State will remain safe; that we will not shy away from our responsibilities.
“I went into the interland and assessed all that has been reported. It took almighty God and your determination to save the situation.
“We will as government do all within our capabilities to bring comfort to the families of those that have lost their lives. From what I have got, 12 lives were lost.
“I want to assure that a judicial panel is underway to unravel and unfold what is behind the events and further to ensure that some basic infrastructure that has eluded the people is provided.
“And, we make to ensure that this is going to be the first and the last of such attack in Igala kingdom and in Kogi State”.
A youth leader in the community, Yakubu Aliyu, told our correspondent women and children evacuated to nearby communities were yet to return, adding that the casualties were mostly old women and children.
Another resident, Ismaila Maji, said that the attack took them by surprise.
According to him: “As they entered they started shooting at the natives sporadically. Our people tried to repel the attackers but were overwhelmed as they were over 500 in number.”
He said that the people ran for their lives as the suspected herders continued to fire shots at them with sophisticated weapons, including AK47 assault rifles.
“They killed about 25 of our people. Apart from that, they also killed about six of our people at Ogbakaka. Some are still in the hospital. The Fulani overwhelmed them.
“They made away with food stuffs and all valuables, cash and about 45 motorcycles belonging to the natives.
“There is virtually no young man who is not having a motorcycle. Our people have moved out in droves to neighboring villages. The village has no police station and no health facility,” he said.
Reacting, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attributed the killings to the military gadgets illegally imported into the country by the Kogi State government.
In a statement yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, the party noted the attack was preceded by revelations of importation of military gadgets by persons allegedly linked to the APC and Governor Bello.
The PDP said: “In spite the allegations by the people of Kogi state that the military equipment were being delivered to suspected marauders, the Buhari-led Federal Government did not take any decisive steps to arrest and investigate those fingered in the illegal trafficking, particularly the already indicted aides of Kogi state Governor Yahaya Bello.
“The questions are: why did the Federal Government fail to deploy adequate security to the communities in the face of obvious threats?
“Why has the Buhari Presidency refused to take any firm step to investigate the illegal importation of military equipment into Kogi state, even when such gives a clue as to how marauders gain access to weapons?
“Furthermore, why did the APC, as a ruling party, fail to condemn the illegal importation of security gadgets or even caution its government in Kogi state, if it is not also involved in the illicit act that is now being linked to this massacre?”