Unknown gunmen early hours of Friday bombed a Police Area Command office at Eika-Ohizenyi in Okehi local government area of Kogi State where a Police officer on duty Mr Jibril popularly known as yellow was reportedly killed by the attackers.
The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command, CP Edward Egbuka, who visited the scene of the attack few hours later for on-the-spot assessment has immediately ordered the deployment of additional operational assets consisting of operatives of the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Quick Response Unit, State Intelligence Bureau in synergy with other security agencies to restore normalcy in the area.
The Commissioner’s visit was contained in a statement issued by the command’s Public Relation Office William Aya in Lokoja on Friday.
The statement mentioned that part of the Area Command Office was razed by dynamite used by the attackers and a Police Inspector died in the exchange of fire with the hoodlums.
The Commissioner of Police however assured that the Command is committed to working in synergy with other security agencies as well as patriotic stakeholders to make the State a safe and secure place for all and sundry.
A resident of the area Mallam Momoh Abubakar told our reporter that the attackers invaded the station 12:15 a.m, saying the first bomb they threw into the station made heavy sound that waked many residents who are sleeping while the second bomb, according to him brought down part of the station’s building.
He added that the attackers had a field day as they operated for more than two hours without any interference either from security agents or the people of the community.
He also revealed that the only police officer on duty Mr Jibril popularly known as Yellow was killed in the process of the attack while the only operational vehicle in the police station was also bombed.
According to him, bullets perforated windows of Eika community central mosque and a Catholic church near the police station during the heavy attack.
“I am using this medium to appeal to security agents to be proactive and respond quickly to this type of incident because the gunmen spent more than two hours operating freely without any interference.
“The first attack of the station occurred on Friday and this second one which happened after five years also took place on Friday and to our surprise no body has been arrested in connection to the attack.
“As I am talking to you now there is serious fear and apprehension in Eika community as people remained indoor for fear of being attacked by gunmen. We are appealing to government to beep its search light in this area because the attack is becoming unbearable” he said
Meanwhile, the corpse of the slain policeman has been taken to Obangede General hospital mortuary.
