Unknown Gunmen attacked an ambulance along Egbe-Ogbe-Ponyan road in Yagba East local government of Kogi state at the weekend, killing its director, Segun Adekoya.
It was gathered that the incident occured around 5pm on Saturday.
The group was returning back to Egbe in Yagba East local government of the state after officiating at a funeral ceremony in Ponyan community.
Adekoya and his group reportedly took a corpse from a hospital at Egbe in Yagba West local government for a burial at Ponyan.
“The undertaker group headed by Aegun Adekoya is loved greatly in the community, because of its quality service delivery at funeral or burial ceremony.”
“He bought a well equipped ambulance on 24th December 2024, with the assistance of people to ease smooth operation of his chosen profession in the community.
“On Saturday morning, with his workers , he took a corpse for burial from Egbe hospital to Ponyan, prosecuting it successfully.
“Shortly after fixing a punctured tire on his way back , he ran into an ambush of the hoodlums, numbering about 30.
“While others escaped from the scene , he could not, as an accident that affected one of his legs years ago rendered it useless, making him to always shuffle in walking .
“His life less body was picked up on Sunday morning beside the road , shortly after farmers spotted it and raised alarm,” said Ademola Ganiyu, a resident of Egbe.
The locals are pointing accusing fingers on the lingering residents-herders crisis in the area.
Others attributed the ugly incident to the activities of kidnappers ,whom they claimed have been on the prowl in that axis for months .
Buttressing, locals reported that a yet to be identified person was kidnapped around there same Saturday.
They claimed that the victim’s motor cycle and his luggage recovered at the scene of the incident have been evacuated to enable them to establish identity.
The kogi state police command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Williams Aya, could not be reached for reaction as he did not respond to text messages and calls.
However, stakeholders of the community have condemned the killing of the young man .
A community leader, Chief Leke Akogun, lamented the incessant attacks in the community, which he claimed have left residents in fear prompting many to stay indoor without observing their daily activities.
“Our (Ogbe) ward is a peaceful farming community where economic activities thrive in yagba west. It has now become a hotspot for kidnappers.
The recent attacks are stark reminder of the deteriorating security situation in our area”, he said .
Equally, the Minority Leader in the Kogi state House Of Assembly, Otunba Ibikunle Idowu who incidentally hails from the community claimed that the area is prone to attacks because it shares boundary with three states : Kwara ,Ekiti and Ondo States. (Daily Trust)
