By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
Heavily armed gunmen attacked travelers over the weekend on the isolated Takete Ide to Aghara Road in Kogi State, causing severe injuries and robbing them of their valuables.
Sources reported that a group of around a dozen armed Fulani marauders, wielding AK-47 rifles, seized control of the road in the afternoon and operated until evening.
The assailants harassed travelers, detained them, and forcibly took their belongings. Those who resisted were reportedly tortured into compliance.
Upon receiving intelligence about the attack around 6 p.m., residents of Takete Ide, a peaceful agrarian community in MopAmuro Local Government Area, organized a counter-resistance to drive the bandits away from their reported location near the Eba River.
Local hunters, led by the Olu-Ode, were quickly mobilized to the scene. However, the gunmen had already moved closer to the village, leading to an ambush on the defending hunters. This resulted in a gunfight during which three hunters were injured, and one was initially reported missing. Fortunately, the missing hunter was found and welcomed back by the community the following morning.
The attack has caused widespread panic and disrupted the community, prompting stakeholders to call for increased law enforcement presence in the area.
Prince Dare Fiki, President of the Takete Ide Progressive Union (TIPU), appealed for government support and urged residents to unite in response to the crisis.
Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, assured that the government is addressing the situation. He revealed that Governor Ododo has directed security agencies to the area and is covering the medical expenses for the injured.
“We are aware of the security breach in MopAmuro, and the governor has taken steps to address the situation and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Fanwo said.
A joint security task force has been deployed to the area, with local government officials in MopAmuro, Kabba-Bunu, and Ijumu on high alert. The government has pledged to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the safety of the state.
“The security agencies have been briefed and are committed to flushing out the criminals,” Fanwo added.
