14 killed as gunmen invade Kogi community

From Ahmad Ibrahim, Lokoja

No fewer than fourteen people have lost their lives, while several others were fatally injured, following the invasion of Agbudu village, a sleepy community in Kogi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Peoples Daily reliably gathered that the gunmen stormed the village around 1.am in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, firing sporadic gunshots into the air, before unleashing terror on the community.
Reacting to the ugly incident, the state commissioner of police, Mr. Ede Ekpeji disclosed to newsmen that fourteen people were killed by the rampaging gunmen.
He pointed out that thirteen of the victims were from one single family, with only one member escaping unhurt, describing the incident as most unfortunate.
The police boss further assured that the command was on the trail of those who carried out the dastardly act, even as he stressed that investigation was on to unravel the cause of the incident.
Meanwhile, the commissioner of police has paraded 28 suspects for allegedly committing various heinous crimes, ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery and culpable homicide across the local government areas of the state.
Among those apprehended, according to Mr. Ekpeji, is one Vincent Omogor, who is presently assisting the police to get the killers of Mr. Nicholas Ofodile, the owner of the popular Chuks Supermarket in Lokoja, who was murdered in cold blood along Lokoja-Abuja highway, last month.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, Omogor disclosed that the businessman, Nicholas Ofodile was killed by one of his boys popularly known as “Chairman” among his peer groups.
He said “Chairman” told them while lying in wait for the late businessman along the highway, that he ( chairman) would not rest until he eliminated the businessman, for being responsible for the death of the chairman’s father.
Omogor further explained that “Chairman” said while he was working at the Chuks Supermarket, his father got sick and all efforts to convince his master to pay him half salary to treat his father fell on deaf ears.
He said although the Chairman robbed his master, Nicholas Ofodile on three occasions, he expressed the desire to completely eliminate him, following the death of his (Chairman’s father), as a result of his inability to get money to attend to his health challenges.