Kogi killings: Governor Bello vows to deal with culprits

– No fewer than 44 people in Kogi state have been killed, with 26 injured and N541 million properties destroyed

– The casualties were recorded during communal clashes in the state

– Governor Yahaya Bello has vowed to prosecute the culprits

Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Thursday, October 11, received the report of the judicial commission of inquiry into civil disturbances in Dekina, Omala and Bassa local government areas, vowing that his administration will bring perpetrators of the heinous crime to book.

Receiving the report from the chairman of the commission, Justice Josiah Majebi, the governor promised to ensure the safety of lives and property of residents of the state adding that his administration would not play politics with the lives of the people.

The governor emphasized that he is ready to hunt and bring to book those responsible for the mayhem.

“We will hunt you down, we will come after you, you may be able to run but you cannot hide, we will smoke you out and ensure justice is done. We won’t play politics with the lives of the people. We must ensure those affected gets justice,” he said.

Earlier, Justice Mejabi said it identified 115 persons believed to be responsible for the recent bloody clashes in the areas.

He also said that the violent crises that occurred in Oganenigwu, Iyade, Ojuwo Ajimadi, Agbenema-Ife and Agabifor in Dekina and Omala local government areas were engendered by feud between herdsmen and farmers.

Mejabi said that the commission was able to establish those during its visits and public hearings into the crises. He urged government to prevail on the warring factions to maintain peace pending the time it would issue a white paper on the report.

The commission also advised government to assist victims of the violent clashes in all the affected communities to enable them to start life afresh.

Meanwhile, TRACKNEWS.NG previously reported that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had declared a ‘national disaster’ in Kogi, Anambra, Delta and Niger, following high levels of flooding in the states.

Mustapha Maihaja, NEMA director-general, made the declaration during an assessment visit to River Niger on Monday, September 17, in Lokoja.

Maihaja said that eight other states were also on NEMA’s watch list. He explained that the states were experiencing high levels of flooding as a result of heavy rainfall experienced in some parts of the country.