No fewer than six persons have been confirmed killed by gunmen who attacked Bagana community in Omala Local Government Area (LGA) of Kogi State.
The attack, said to have taken place very early on Monday, also left several others injured while many locals were forced to abandon their homes.
Police authorities in the state have confirmed the incident.
Unlike previous incidents attributed to armed herdsmen, the latest is believed to be a result of the tussle between the people of Bagana and Patani community over the ownership of a piece of land.
The assailants were reported to have struck at about 7:30 in the morning when most of the youths in the community had gone to the farm.
Houses and business centres were left in ruins after the attack, and the palace and vehicle of the traditional ruler of Bagana were not speared by the assailants.
In an interview with Channels Television, an eyewitness identified as Salifu Yakubu narrated how the gunmen invaded the community.
Yakubu, who is also the son of the traditional ruler of the community, also stated that the incident had nothing to do with herds, but it was a fallout of a communal clash.
The Chairman of Omala LGA, Ibrahim Abo, also confirmed the incident. During a visit to the community, he appealed to the youths of Bagana to remain calm.
According to Abo, the temptation to embark on a reprisal must be resisted as the state government is already making efforts to resolve the dispute.
The Commissioner of Police in Kogi, Idrisu Dabban, also led some top officers of the command to Bagana for an on-the-spot assessment.
Dabban assured the residents that the command under his leadership would not relent on its oars until the communal crisis was brought to an end.
He added that the police have put necessary measures in place to forestall a reoccurrence of such an incident in Omala LGA.
(Courtesy Channels TV
