By Correspondent in Lokoja.
Bagana village in Omala Local Governnent Area of kogi state, has lost six residents in a sustained and coordinated attack by gunmen in the early hours of Monday.
Our Correspondent recalls that the village experienced similar fate barely a month ago where it lost nine persons and property worth millions of naira destroyed, forcing hundreds of inhabitants to scamper for safety seek in neighbouring communities.
Sources said attackers, in the latest attack, went to the House of one Chief Salifu Anyebe, who in a fortnight ago had his stool elevated to third class, set his palace ablaze and shot three persons, including one Madam Achebe Alih popularly known as Mama Teacher, to death.
The early morning attack, The Reporters gathered, forced the villagers who were just returning to the village from the similar attack before, to seek safety in the bushes.
The online publication further gathered that the attackers, whose action is allegedly linked to opposition to Achebe’s ascendancy, had planned to attack him but he got wind of the information and subsequent suspension of the ceremony.
Irked by the developmnt, the attackers were said to have burnt his palace,his car and other valuables and property of his close families living in cluster settlement with him.
Our correspondent equally gathered that immediately the attackers left, some militias from nearby communites allegedly mobilised,armed to teeth and embarked on house burning spree, belonging to suspected clans opposed to Achebe’s ascendancy.
The online publication reliably gathered that the reprisal led to the burning of the palace of the Oga Onu Ife,a paramount ruler and the District Head of Bagana, Chief Alih Haruna, while houses belonging to some notable inhabitants were also torched.
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According to the locals, a house belonging to the serving Councillor, representing the District, Hon. Alidu Usman Idakwo and those of other tribes were not spared.
A local who could not hold back tears over the wanton destruction of lives and property,recalled that Bagana community had been experiencing the crisis since 2013, a developmnt he noted was fuelled by Fulani herder- farmer clashes.
According to him, the age-long crisis had so far consumed no fewer than 300 lives and property worth millions of naira destroyed.
However, the leader of Indigenous people of Bagana, Alhaji Umar Bagana, lamented the recurring orgy of killings and destruction of properties in the area since 2014 and blamed the violence on the clanish jingoists contending for the soul and potential of the town.
He called on Governor Yahaya Bello to enforce his directive to the Chiefs in the area to relocate to their respective domain, to tame the tide of violence being unleashed on the Community.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Idrisu Dauda Dabban,who in company of the chairman of Omala LGA Hon. Ibrahim Aboh on Tuesday, visited the area assured the people to return home, adding that peace had returned to the area.
He assured the people that the police had commenced discreet investigation into the issue with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
