Gunmen kill oil dealer, LG official, 7 others in Kogi community 

By Oladele Owodina

At least, nine persons have reportedly lost their lives after gunmen invaded Bagana community in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State in the late hours of Tuesday.

A resident of the community who spoke to The PUNCH on condition of anonymity said the assailants attacked a shop located in the heart of the village and killed four people on the spot.

After the shop raid, the attackers then went on a shooting spree in which many people who were running to escape were hit by stray bullets.

He added that he identified five dead bodies from where he hid during the attack. One of the dead persons was one Alias Barrister, a diesel oil dealer, and a dispensary staff of the Local Government Health Center at Ogba, residing in Bagana.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, DSP William Aya,  confirmed the attack.

He said the police received a call from one Usmal Salifu around 9:30 pm that his shop had been attacked by gunmen leading to the death of his sales boy, Bashir Sule, and three other customers, while scores sustained various degrees of injury.

And on receipt of the distress call, the DPO of the station mobilised some police officers to the scene and evacuated some of the injured to the hospital for treatment, adding that the force has commenced a manhunt to bring the perpetrators to book.

He added that the police later returned to the community and assured the residents to be calm and go about their businesses.