By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
UNKNOWN gunmen have attacked six Hummer Buses conveying 96 Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and adhoc staff from Kupa North and South in Lokoja Local Government to the state office of the Commission.
The Nigerian Pilot reports that six persons were allegedly to be missing as a result of the attack which occured in the early hours of Sunday at about 2am in Obajana, LGA.
Reports had it that the attack left several officials of the Commission including drivers and Policemen with gunshot wounds while the six missing persons include two serving NYSC corps members and four ex-corpers.
Nigerian Pilot reports that the injured persons from the attack are already on admission at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, (formerly Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.
One of the victims, Mr Salisu Ibrahim, a bus drivers, who was shot on his right leg said, “We were on our way back to Lokoja from Abugi Registration Area Center (RAC) with the results of the House of Assembly elections when we were attacked by some people.
“We were all moving in a convoy of six buses when we were attacked. Many of us sustained injuries. Thank God, none of us died but some of our corpers are missing.
One of the Youth Corpers, Mr Dare Owofadaju, who was shot on his left thigh said it was only God that saved them considering the way and manner the gunmen attacked us adding that the election was conducted without rancour.
However, Kogi State Police command in a press statement signed by William Ovye Aya (SP), the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO) on Sunday, the Police were able to foil the attack, repel the hoodlums and rescued the victims.
The statement signed by William Ovye Aya (SP),
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) said the INEC Officials and Adhoc Staff came under heavy attack from armed hoodlums at Obajana.
Aya confirmed that the attack came while the victims were on their way from Kupa North and South Wards to the Constituency Collation Centre in Lokoja.
According to him, the Police escort attached to the team “responded robustly and engaged with hoodlums in a fierce gun duel.”
He added that on receipt of distress call from the Police escorts, reinforcement teams were promptly mobilized and sent and owing to the superior fire power of the Police, the attackers were forced to flee with varying degrees of injuries.
“The Commissioner of Police in charge of Election in Kogi State, CP Yekini Ayoku, mni, led rescue team to the scene for on-the-spot assessment.
“He later led the evacuation of the ninety six (96) rescued victims comprising INEC Officials, Adhoc Staff, Bus drivers and others to the INEC Headquarters in Lokoja.
The PPRO said three injured victims were evacuated to the Federal Federal University Teaching Lokoja for treatment adding that the Commissioner of Police had accordingly ordered the deployment of operational and tactical assets.
He also urged members of the public particularly, adjoining communities, to be on the lookout and report any body seen with bullets wounds to the nearest security Formation or agencies.
The Kogi Police Command assured the public that the Police would not rest on its oars in the fight against criminality in state.
