Two abducted as kidnappers storm Kogi community market

Kidnappers raided Ejiba community in Yagba west local government of Kogi state, on Wednesday, and abducted two persons.

Locals said the latest attack was the second attack within two weeks.

According to the report, the gunmen, numbering about 10 and dressed in black attire, stormed the central market in the town around 9pm and started shooting sporadically.

In the ensuing confusion, the hoodlums reportedly went away with two prominent marketers in the town. One of them was simply identified as Bukky.

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The hoodlums were said to have taken the advantage of activities at Ejiba village market and its environs where transactions are mostly carried out into the late hours on its market days.

The abducted persons were said to have their store located in the heart of the market space.

“They came in two groups and surrounded the place, five stationed at the main road, while four others positioned themselves at the back of Bukky’s container in the market.

“They started shooting from front and back, lasting a few minutes. Bukky ran out of her hide out in the container, but was pursued and arrested. Also, the hoodlums took away another resident, a male customer in the market,” said Daramola, a resident of the town.

The eyewitness added that Bukky’s mother, Madam Sesan, who also ran to hide inside a container sustained machete injury on her leg.

Two weeks ago, gunmenstormed the home of another prominent businessman and politician in the town and took away two persons.

One of the victims was said to have died in the hands of his abductors, while the the only survivor is said to be receiving treatment as a result of the encounter.

Meanwhile, a Senior Special Assistant to Kogi State Governor in charge of Yagba Federal Constituency, Pius Kolawole said that the state authorities are “working under ground seriously to end the security challenge in the area”.

But the state police command’s Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), SP Williams Aya, did not respond to calls and text message over the incident.