12th September, 2024
By Thompson Yamput
The Police Command in Kogi said it has arrested nine suspects in connection with the crisis that followed the assassination a traditional ruler, Onu Itamah Job Shagari.
in Itamah area of the state
Chief Job Shagari was on Aug. 12 assassinated by some gunmen who invaded the community.
The traditional ruler’s death created rift between two families — the Okenyi Abu-Atika and Shagari-Ebijegor, resulting in communal crisis.
However, Kogi Commissioner of Police , Mr Bethrand Onuoha, said this in an interview in Lokoja on Thursday that nine suspects are already in custody over the communal crisis.
He said the police are trailing the other suspects.
“What the police are calling for now is for peace to be allowed to reign in Itamah community.
“The destruction done in that community is very unfortunate and uncalled for.
“We want a situation where the aggrieved families should come to round table for dialogue toward finding a lasting solution.
“A situation where the community members are involved in an eye for an eye, the whole community will be blind and there won’t be peace there at all,” he said.
Onuoha denied the allegation that the command did not respond to petitions brought before it on arson and hostilities that left some houses and other property razed destroyed.
Mr Akoh Jonah, spokesman of the Okenyi Abu-Atika, claimed that more than 40 houses were burnt during the crisis, alleging that the police arrested 11 members of his family.
Mr Gideon Attah from Shagari-Ebijegor family also claimed that his family members were also victims of the attacks.
“We are calling on the government and our traditional rulers — the Attah Igala and the Eje of Idaho — to organise a peace meeting among the aggrieved parties to restore peace to the community,” he pleaded.(NAN)
