Buhari Condemns Killing of 19 People by Bandits in Kogi

Pat Stevens/

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned murder of 19 people by unknown gunmen in Tawari community of Kogi Local Government Area, Kogi State.

The President, in a statement today by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said “there is no excuse or justification for killing innocent people by anybody or group, and for whatever motive.”

“The killings and revenge killings will only aggravate the cycle of violence, creating neither safety nor security for any side.

“People should avoid taking the law into their own hands because doing so could make a bad situation worse and undermine the government’s efforts to tackle security challenges.

“I am gravely worried about frequency and temptation of using violence to settle disputes instead of following lawful and amicable means to avoid needless destruction of lives and property,” the further says.

Gunmen had in the early hours of today attacked the community reportedly killing over 20 people.

The casualties in the attack included the the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chairman, Tawari ward, Ibrahim Simbabi and the Chief Imam of the village, Malam Zakari Salihu.

Administrator of the local government, Mr. Muhammed Tanko Osuku and other government officials however put the death toll at 19.

But natives said they counted 23 corpses, with 20 belonging to the Bassa Kwomu tribe while the remaining three were Gbagyi locals.

They also said several persons including some policemen sustained serious injuries and were receiving treatment at the Koton Karfe General Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre Lokoja.

Locals alleged that the attackers, who were of Fulani extraction, invaded the village around 1am, shooting sporadically and setting houses and churches ablaze.

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