Kogi: Gov. Bello says Tawari casualty risen to 29

The death toll of the recent attacks on Tawari district in Kogi local government area, Kogi State has risen to 29.

Governor Yahaya Bello disclosed this when he held a peace meeting with the communities’ representatives at the Government House Lokoja, on Thursday.

Daily Trust reports that locals had earlier put the number of lives lost in the attacks at 23, while government officials and security agencies insisted 19 people were killed.

However, Governor Bello said more corpses were discovered days after the mayhem which left others with varying degrees of injuries.

“Some of corpses were discovered in other communities within the district thereby, bringing the number of people who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident to 29,” he explained.

Bello, who acknowledged the peaceful disposition of the Tawari people, said the attack took place when there was no provocation, stressing that his administration will leave no stone unturned to unravel those behind the “dastardly acts”.

He noted that government on receipt of the distress call acted proactively by drafting security personnel to secure the communities and to provide palliative measures for the people.

He promised that his administration would adopt a security measure that will be mobile and effective to deal with any security challenge across the state.

He explained that the same methods that worked in Dekina, Bassa and Omala Local Government Areas when they were attacked would be replicated in Tawari to bring lasting solution to insecurity in the area.

Earlier, the youth leader of the Tawari communities which comprises of four villages, Mr Gabriel Ndazago, said the initial figure of 24 deaths were recorded in Tawari village while five other bodies were picked up from three other communities, making it 29 recorded deaths.

He appealed to the government to establish and strengthen the local vigilantes which, according to him, have the commitment and competence to deal with security infractions within their communities.

He lamented at the frequent killings and kidnapping of Tawari people in their homes and farms.