Gunmen suspected to be assailants invaded Okofi community in Kogi local government council of Kogi state and shot dead the chief Imam, Hussaini Mundi, and four others in the area.
A resident of the community, simply identified as Zubairu, said the incident happened around 5.56 am on Thursday, shortly after the Subhi morning prayers, which he said the gunmen invaded the community and opened fire sporadically.
He said the late Chief Imam of the community central mosque was coming out of the mosque after the morning prayers when the gunmen opened fire at him and died on the spot.
He said under aged boy and a girl who were going to defecate in the back bushes of the community also died after being hit by stray bullets from the gunmen’s sporadic shooting.
“But unfortunately, two other adults who also sustained bullets wounds later died on their way while being taken to the hospital in Lokoja,” he said.
Zubairu, said the gunmen immediately escaped after carrying out the attack.
The remains of the chief imam has been buried after funeral prayers at the Palace of the Ohimegie of Igu-Kotonkarfe chiefdom, Alhaji Abdulrazak Isah Koto in Koton-Karfe town.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Kogi state police, DSP Williams Aya, confirmed the incident, saying three people lost their lives in the early morning attack at Okofi community in Koton-Karfe local government council of the state.
He said the state command has commenced investigation into the latest attack.
