Angry Buhari Condemns Killing of 19 People in Kogi

President Muhammadu Buhari, Friday, strongly condemned the massacre of 19 people in Tawari community of Kogi Local Government Area, Kogi State by some yet-to-be arrested gunmen.

Equally angered by the bestiality of the unknown gunmen, Governor Yahaya Bello directed security agencies in the state to hunt the perpetrators of the Tawari tragedy and bring them to justice speedily.

In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity quoted Buhari as saying that: that “there is no excuse or justification for killing innocent people by anybody or group, and for whatever motive.

“The killings and revenge killings will only aggravate the cycle of violence, creating neither safety nor security for any side.

“People should avoid taking the law into their own hands because doing so could make a bad situation worse and undermine the government’s efforts to tackle security challenges.

“I am gravely worried about frequency and temptation of using violence to settle disputes instead of following lawful and amicable means to avoid needless destruction of lives and property.”

However, the circumstances of the killings, which were carried out Thursday night, were still hazy at the time of this report.

In the time being, Governor Bello ordered a massive manhunt of the perpetrators of the heinous crime and bring them to justice.

A statement issued, Friday night, by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Onogwu Muhammed, in Lokoja, the capital,

Bello, according to the statement, condemned the killings and warned strongly that whoever attempted to wreak havoc on the state would have himself or herself to blame. He, therefore, urged the people to be calm and remain law abiding, assuring them that his administration was determined to flush bandits and criminals out of the state.

Giving an update on the tragedy, the Kogi State Police Command said about 28 houses and vehicles were razed by the gunmen in Tawari community among others. Tawari community, which is about 30 minute-drive from Gegu town, on the Lokoja-Abuja Road, Kogi Local Government Area, came under a heavy attack by unknown gunmen on Thursday night.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the command, Mr. Williams Anya, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in a telephone interview.

Anya, who also disclosed that some lives were lost during the attack, said the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ede Ayuba Ekpeji, had visited the community for an on-the-spot assessment.

He also said the Commissioner of Police had deployed Special Police Force and Police Tactical Squad, led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, to immediately unravel those behind the heinous act and bring them to book.