In what might be a foretaste of the November 2, 2019 governorship poll in Kogi State, two rival groups on Sunday, engaged in a gun battle in the varsity town of Anyigba, Dekina Local Government Area, killing one Ismaila Agba, a youth leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area.
While the immediate cause of hostility could not be established as at the time of filing this report, it was gathered the unidentified gunmen began shooting indiscriminately around 10am, bringing activities to a near standstill.
It was learnt the late APC youth leader, who is also the head of the Kogi East Cashew produce unit of the revenue drive department of state government and chairman of Anyigba-Lagos loading point, met his untimely death during the exchange of gun fire at Agwudoko area of the city.
Some residents of the town alleged that the reason behind the exchange of gunfire may not be unconnected with the forthcoming governorship election in the state and a “test rehearsal in the battle of supremacy that lies ahead.”
“We were indoors for hours to avoid incident of stray bullets. Though the police command moved in when they got wind of the attacks, at a point, we difn’t even know who was in charge as the guns continued to boom unabated,” said a resident.
Confirming the incident, the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Williams Aya said that one person died, adding that one Alhassan Idoko sustained injury from the attack.
He said that it was not a political attack but a case of culpable homicide, perpetrated by unidentified gunmen, and that the command “is already on their trail.”
