By Our Correspondent
Armed men suspected to be bandits have reportedly killed a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Ayo Olukotun, and abducted his daughter along with several other residents during an attack on Odo-Ere, the headquarters of Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Residents said the attack occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Monday when the gunmen stormed the community, firing sporadically and causing panic among residents, many of whom fled for safety.
Amid the confusion, the attackers reportedly forced their way to the residence of the NSCDC officer, shot him and abducted his daughter and other victims into a nearby forest.
A community source said Olukotun was rushed to a hospital shortly after the attack but was confirmed dead on arrival.
“Mr. Olukotun was taken to the hospital immediately after the incident, but sadly, he was confirmed dead on arrival. His remains have since been deposited in a mortuary,” the source said.
The Chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area, Hon. Tosin Olokun, condemned the attack, describing it as unfortunate and heartbreaking.
Olokun, who also serves as Chairman of the Kogi State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), said the death of the NSCDC officer was a painful loss to his family, the Odo-Ere community and the entire local government area.
“We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident. On behalf of the government and people of Yagba West, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr. Ayo Olukotun, the people of Odo-Ere and all those affected by this attack,” he said in a statement issued on Tuesday through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Adeyemi Babarinde.
The council chairman urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing security agencies with credible information that could assist ongoing efforts to tackle criminal activities in the area.
Also reacting, the member representing Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopamuro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Leke Joseph Abejide, described the incident as tragic, barbaric and a painful reminder of the security challenges confronting communities across the country.
“The news of the killing of Mr. Ayo and the abduction of his daughter came to me with profound sadness. This is a painful moment for the people of Odo-Ere, Yagba West and Kogi State as a whole,” Abejide said in a statement.
The lawmaker called on the Kogi State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the immediate release of the abducted victims, particularly the daughter of the slain officer.
Meanwhile, residents have urged security agencies to deploy the advanced surveillance drones recently unveiled by the state government to monitor vulnerable communities and forest corridors prone to criminal activities.
According to them, the drones were introduced to enhance intelligence gathering and improve rapid response against banditry and kidnapping across the state.
“The government and security agencies should leverage technology-driven security infrastructure to prevent further attacks and improve the protection of lives and property in Yagba West,” said Ayobami, a resident of the community.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Kogi State Police Command, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, simply responded, “Noted.”
The police command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
