Again, Gunmen Attack Police Station in Kogi, Kill Police Inspector
Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja
Barely a monthy after a Divisional Police Command was attacked by hoodlums which left a police officer dead at Adavi, suspected gunmen early hours yesterday attacked another Police Area Command and killed a police inspector on duty at Eika-Ohizenyi in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The victim of yesterday’s attack was identified as Mr. Jibril popularly known as Yellow.
It was gathered that the attackers invaded the station at about 12:15a.m., threw an explosive device believed to be dynamite at the police station which culminated in a loud explosion that woke up many residents.
A resident of the area, Mallam Momoh Abubakar who spoke to journalists, explained that the second explosion brought down parts of the Area Command office.
He said that the attackers had a field day as they operated for more than two hours without any interference neither from security agents nor the people of the community.
According to him, the only police officer on duty identified as Mr. Jibril popularly known as Yellow was killed in the attack while the only operational vehicle in the police station was also bombed.
The eye witness pointed out that bullets perforated windows of Eika Community Central Mosque and a Catholic church very close to the police station during the heavy attack.
“I am using this medium to appeal to security agents to be proactive and respond quickly to this type of incident because the gunmen spent more than two hours operating freely without any interference.
“The first attack of the station occurred on Friday and this second one which happened after five years also took place on Friday and to our surprise nobody has been arrested in connection to the attack.
“As I am talking to you now there is serious fear and apprehension in Eika community as people remained indoors for fear of being attacked by gunmen. We are appealing to government to beep its search light in this area because the attack is becoming unbearable,” he said
Meanwhile the State Police Commissioner, CP Edward Egbuka, has visited the scene of the attack at Okehi Area Command on Friday.
Egbuka stated that he came to scene for on-the-spot assessment and has equally ordered the deployment of additional operational assets consisting of Operatives of the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Quick Response Unit, State Intelligence Bureau in synergy with other security agencies to restore normalcy in the area.
He also confirmed that part of the Area Command office was brought down by dynamite used by the attackers and a police inspector died in the exchange of fire with the hoodlums.
He pointed out that he has ordered the detachment of police officers and military personnel to the scene
The police boss assured that the Command is committed to working in synergy with other security agencies as well as patriotic stakeholders to make the state a safe and secure place for all and sundry.
He also tasked the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to commence investigations into the unfortunate incident so as to unravel the remote and immediate cause of the attack with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
