Five people have been confirmed dead after violence erupted in parts of Kupa Kingdom in Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State following a retaliatory attack.
The victims were killed when armed attackers invaded Abugi, Kuchinda and Mikugi communities on Thursday, sparking fear and tension among residents.
Authorities said the latest violence was triggered by the earlier killing of an unarmed herder, who was allegedly shot by a local vigilante member over suspicions of cattle theft. The incident reportedly provoked a revenge attack that claimed several lives.
The Kogi State Government has condemned both incidents, describing them as criminal acts, and has directed security agencies to bring everyone connected to the violence to justice.
In a statement released on Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo was said to have ordered an increased security presence in the affected communities to restore peace and prevent further bloodshed.
The governor also instructed law enforcement agencies to arrest the vigilante member accused of killing the herder, as well as individuals believed to have participated in the retaliatory attack, including the alleged leader of the Hybrid Vigilante Group.
“The Kogi State Government condemns in the strongest terms both the killing of the unarmed herder and the subsequent reprisal attack. These are criminal acts that have no place in our society. Anyone found to have participated in either incident, regardless of status or ethnic affiliation, will face the full weight of the law.”
Fanwo appealed to residents not to resort to violence and encouraged them to work with security agencies by volunteering information that could help ongoing investigations.
“We appeal to all residents to remain calm and resist the temptation of reprisals. We also urge members of the public to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that will aid ongoing investigations and the arrest of all those responsible,” he said.
He added that the government is engaging traditional rulers, community leaders and security agencies to ease tensions, restore stability and ensure those responsible for the attacks are held accountable.
