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Unknown gunmen on Wednesday have killed three policemen and two vigilante operatives in Egbe, a border town in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, close to Kwara State.
Spokesman of the Kogi State Police Command, William Aya, confirmed the attack in Lokoja, saying it occurred in the early hours of Wednesday while the officers were on routine duty.
According to Aya, the assailants, who emerged from the bush, opened fire on the policemen before fleeing the scene. “The Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, has deployed a tactical squad to the area, and we are currently on the trail of the gunmen,” he said. “We assure the public that the perpetrators will be arrested. The CP also appeals to residents to provide credible information that can aid investigations.”
The killings have heightened tension in Egbe, a community historically known as a hub of missionary activities led by the Sudan Interior Mission (now Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA) in the early 20th century.
A resident, who asked not to be named, described the incident as “one too many,” warning that local vigilante members are also exposed. He called on the state government to strengthen security, restructure the vigilante network, and provide better equipment to forestall further attacks.
By Wednesday evening, protesters took to the streets of Egbe to express their anger over the killings. In a viral Facebook post on a page named Egbe Mekun Parrot, videos showed demonstrators alleging that the attackers, some masked, blocked the road with herds of cattle and shot sporadically during the assault.
The protesters questioned how five lives could be lost in broad daylight without prompt police reinforcement. “If five people could be killed in the morning, what happens at night?” one protester asked.
The situation remains tense in Egbe as residents await stronger security intervention.
Report by Dayo Emmanuel
