The Elepe of Ohi-Ogidi in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi state, Chief Ojo Olayinka, has been murdered by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement on Wednesday, when the state government not only condemned the killing but also ordered the perpetrators be brought to book.
The state government condemned the dastardly act, stressing that it is barbaric to undermine its determination and progress in securing the lives and property of Kogites.
He said, “To this end, the State Governor, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has directed security chiefs in the state and the state security adviser to ensure the perpetrators of the dastardly act are apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.
“In as much as this may not bring back our beloved citizen who was murdered, it will reinforce the trust of our citizens in the security architecture of the state. We can not afford to relapse into a state of insecurity.”
He urged the people of Ogidi and Ijumu Local Government Area to remain calm and not take the laws into their own hands, no matter the level of provocation, assuring them that the state apparatus is strong enough to defend and secure the lives of its people and bring antisocial elements to book.
“The people should remain vigilant and volunteer useful intelligence to security agencies and community leaders.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with the immediate family of the deceased, the Ogidi community, the people of Ijumu Local Government Area and indeed, the traditional institution.
“May the soul of the departed rest in peace. The administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo will remain committed to the security of lives and property and will make life unbearable for criminals in the state,” he added.
On January 6, 2024, suspected arsonists set abalze the 75-year-old elder sister of the Attah Igala, Mathew Opaluwa, ablaze, killing her in the process.
The woman, identified as Meimunat Sani, was set ablaze alongside her granddaughter, Hajarat, in the early hours of Thursday, in her Oketekwe residence in the Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State.
A family source said a group of people invaded the home of the deceased with petrol and razed it while the monarch’s sister, her daughter, and granddaughter were asleep.