FOUR members of local vigilance group in the Kaiama local government area of Kwara state were on Wednesday reportedly killed while several others were injured by suspected gunmen who attacked some villages in the area.
The villages attacked by the gunmen include Tunga Maje, Nukku and Woro among others.
Speaking with journalists, the local government Chairman
of the council, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, said that the gunmen had
mounted a camp in the National Park to move from one community to
another to terrorize residents of the area.
The National Park covers about 50 kilometres of land
between Kaiama local council in Kwara and Borgu local government area of
Niger state.
Abubakar said that the hoodlums had gone round the
villages robbing the residents of their belongings particularly
foodstuff, cows and goats before returning to their camp to survive on
it.
According to him, when the complaint of the attack was
becoming too much, the council decided to deploy its members of the
local vigilante to place surveillance on the place.
“Unfortunately, when the vigilante approached them in
their camp, they exchanged fire to the extent that they killed one of
the vigilante men and three others are missing.
“We don’t know their whereabouts and for now and nobody can go into the bush and start searching for the dead body”, he said.
The council boss stated that the armed hoodlums were fond of blocking the roads at night to dispossess people for their money.
“One of our vigilante men is confirmed dead. While three others are missing, several other vigilante men were injured”, he said.
He, however, noted that the state government had taken
charge of the situation, saying that about 50 soldiers have been
deployed from the 222 battalions to comb the bush.
DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, The Public Relations Officer of the Kwara Police Command confirmed the development.
He said that the state command had deployed mobile
policemen into the area and the Commissioner of Police had ordered an
investigation into the issue.
He also confirmed the death of a member of the local vigilante group and three others missing.
Tribune news
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