An early morning attack on Tawari community in Kogi Local Government Area of Kogi State yesterday left about 23 persons dead. The attack was said to have been launched about 1am on Friday by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen numbering over 100.
Locals said that the attackers invaded the community and began shooting sporadically and setting ablaze residential houses and places of worship.
It was also confirmed that the ward chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Tawari ward, Ibrahim Simbabi, and the Chief Imam of the village, Mallam Zakari Salihu, were amongt those killed in the attack. The attackers also razed down the oldest clinic in the area which was built by missionaries during colonial rule and burnt the official vehicle of the traditional ruler of the area, the Aguma of Tawari, Alhaji Idris Tawari, among other property.
The administrator of the local government, Musa Tanko Mohammed, however confirmed that 19 persons died in the early morning invasion. But locals said they counted 23 corpses, claiming that 20 of them were of Bassa Kwomu ethnic group while three were Gbayi, adding that many others were injured, including policemen who are said to be receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre Lokoja and the Koton Karfe General Hospital. He described the incident as “wicked and heartless”, assuring that efforts were on to restore normalcy to the area
