Gunmen, in the early hours of Wednesday, attacked Agudu community in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State, killing 13 persons from a family in their wake.
The attackers, it was learnt, also killed a local who rushed to the scene on hearing gunshots in his neighbours’ compound, making the casualty figure 14.
It was learnt that some persons also sustained injuries during the onslaught which lasted for over one hour.
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Security to Governor Yahaya Bello for the local government, Malam Isah Abdulkareem, who confirmed the development to journalists, explained that he got a call from Bassa Youth Forum at about 2:30am over the attack.
He said the attack happened at the wee hours when people were asleep.
He said he had reached out to security agencies who deployed officers and men to the scene.
Daily Trust reports that hostility between Ebirra and Bassa-Komu ethnic groups had resulted in deadly clashes in the past with consequent bloodbath in the area.
However, there has been cessation of conflicts following interventions by the state government, security agencies and stakeholders from both sides.
The SSA said the identity of perpetrators of the current crisis cannot be immediately ascertained, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ede Ayuba, and heads of other security agencies were in the affected community to assess the situation few hours after the incident.
Confirming the development to journalists in Lokoja, the Commissioner of Police said corpses were being evacuated when he arrived the community, while two others died in the hospital.
He noted that he got a call from the SSA on security to Governor Bello that the community was under attack and called the Area Commander and the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area to immediately moblise to the scene.
The Commissioner of Police said the attackers went straight to the affected compound on entering the community.
He confirmed that the only family member who survived the attack is helping the police in their investigation.
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