23 killed, Palace, houses burnt down as gunmen attack community in Kogi.

SOME suspected Fulani herdsmen early hour of Friday attacked Tawari community in Kogi local government council of Kogi State killing 23 people and burnt down the Palace of Chief, Alhaji Yusuf Idris, and then razed down several houses and killed about ten persons.
The Administrator of the local government, Hon. Musa Tanko Mohammed, however confirmed that 19 persons died in the midnight invasion.
It was reliably gathered on Friday that the militia entered the community at about 1am on Friday burnt down the Palace and houses and then killing several people.
An eyewitnesses account disclosed that the gunmen numbering over 50 were fully armed when they invaded the community.
The source further added that the when they started shooting those who tried to escaped from their various houses were trapped in the middle of the invaders as they shoot sporadically.
Also places of worship were not to spared during the attack.
According to the source, the attack is believed to be a reprisal attack by the militia who are suspected to be herdsmen.
The killing of four suspected herdsmen, alleged to be kidnappers along Lokoja Abuja federal highway recently by security agencies, following a tip off by vigilantes from Tawari community, was alleged to be what angered the militia to attack the community.
It was also gathered that the herdsmen sometimes last year had one of them killed and his body mutilated by suspected ritualists, but this the herdsmen pointed accusing fingers at the Tawari community community, threatened a reprisal.
But following persistent persuasion by the community head, Alhaji. Yahaya Tawari, against a reprisal, the herdsmen lived in the community with their host community in peace until few days ago when they started moving out enmass.
While efforts was made to pacify them as to their reason for the mass movement, the herdsmen said their movement was a way of life, assuring that it had no ulterior motives.
But the killing of the herdsmen suspected to be kidnappers terrorising motorists along the Lokoja Abuja federal highway four days ago was said to have angered the herdsmen, who alleged that the misfortune of their colleagues killed as suspected kidnappers was made possible by information from the Tawari community, reason for the reprisal in the wee hours on Friday.
The administrator of the local government council, Barrister. Musa Tanko while confirming the attack said only 19 persona were killed as he described the incident as very unfortunate, assured that efforts is on to return life to normalcy.
The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command, CP Ede Ayuba Ekpeji has condemned the unfortunate attacks on the people of Tawari Community in the early hours of Friday.
In a press statement issued on Friday, by the Police Public Relation officer, DSP William Aya the CP condemned such attacks in it entirety, while extends his message of condolence to the traditional ruler of Tawari, the entire community, the Kogi Local Government and Kogi State Government over the unfortunate incidents.
While assuring the people of the community and the State in general of the Command efforts to restored normalcy in the area, the CP has deployed special Forces, Federal Anti-Robbery Squad, Counter Terrorism Unit, Police Mobile Force, as well as the conventional Police to the area to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
“He has ordered the deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Investigation to commenced to investigation so as to unravel the cause of the attacks.
“He appealed to the law abiding people of the State to volunteer useful, timely and credible information to the Police and any other security agencies on the activities of criminal elements in the State. While assuring the people of the State his determinations to ensure that Kogi State remain the safest in the country.
Meanwhile, the governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has directs security agencies to fish out perpetrators of Tawari overnight attack.
The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Onogwu Muhammed, Bello has immediately directed security agencies to swing into action and ensure those who carried out the dastardly act faced the law.
The governor condemned the incident and warned that anyone who want to cause crisis in the state would have himself to blame, assuring that his administration would do everything to protect life and property of the people of the state.
Governor Bello, therefore, urged the people to be calm and law abiding, while assuring them of the determination of his Administration to flush out bandits and criminals out of Kogi State.