Kogiflame
Gunmen on Friday night attacked workers working with West African Ceramic Company in Ajaokuta killing six persons which includes two expatriates, two Company drivers and two Police Inspectors and kidnapped three expatriates during the attack.
This is coming a week after
the killing of three Policemen and five Vigilantes by unidentified gunmen in Jida Bassa under Ajaokuta Local Government and also Wednesday kidnapping of three children in Kaduna Estate, in Ajaokuta Steel township complex in the same Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State.
It was reliably gathered that the gunmen invaded the company local in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi state at about 7 pm on Friday and killed the four occupants that were in coaster bus which was about to conveyed them to the various places.
According to an eye witnessed account, the gunmen who came with two vehicles ambushed the expatriates and the other persons in the Coastal bus and started shooting sporadically.
The sources said the fully armed gunmen also kidnapped three expatriates who are Indians working in the company.
“A source, who never wanted his name to be mentioned said” It is another black day for us in Ajaokuta. We are still mourning the killings of seven officers, and the kidnap of three Children. Now another tragic incident has happened again.
“The deceased and kidnapped victims where going back to their Niger bridge estate before they were ambushed. They are working with West African Ceramics. The Police officers exchanged gun fire with this criminals but unfortunately, two of them were killed alongside two Indian men, two driver two other Inspectors inside the vehicle. Also, three foreigners have been taken to the bush by this unidentified gunmen”.
The Commission for Information and Communication, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo in his respond to the attack said “The attack on a Ceramic Company in Ajaokuta last night was unfortunate and condemnable. The Police and other security agencies are currently combing the area to apprehend the perpetrators of the heinous act. Investigations are still at an early stage now. We will rely on those reports when they are clearer and ready.
“As a Government, we have the capacity to rise to the challenge to defend our people. Security has been beefed up around the area and the affected company is cooperating with law enforcement agents to unravel the mystery behind the attack.
“We won’t succumb to the violence of criminals. We have been defeating the criminals before and we will defeat them again. Kogi is a no go area to criminals”.
Meanwhile the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Edward Egbuka has confirmed that two expatriates, two Company drivers and two Police Inspectors died in the exchange of fire with the hoodlums.
According to him, in a press statement issued by the Command spokesperson, SP William Ayah in Saturday said consequent upon the attacks on expatriates of West Africa Ceramics Company Ajaokuta and Police escort at about 2000hrs of Friday 5th of August,2022, the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command, CP Edward Egbuka, has visited the scene for on-the-spot assessment.
He noted that he has equally ordered the deployment of additional operational assets consisting of Operatives of the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Quick Response Unit, State Intelligence Bureau in synergy with other security agencies to restore normalcy in the area.
The CP assures that the Command is committed to working in synergy with other security agencies as well as patriotic stakeholders to make the State a safe and secure place for all and sundry.
He has further tasked the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to commence investigations into the unfortunate incident so as to unravel the remote and immediate cause of the attack with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
