From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
Barely two months after gunmen invaded Adavi Police Station in Kogi State, killing three officers, some gunmen on Friday bombed a Police Area Command office at Eika-Ohizenyi in Okehi Local Government area of the state, demolishing the entire police station.
A police officer on duty, identified as Momoh Jibril and popularly known as Yellow, was reportedly killed by the attackers. A resident of the area, Mallam Momoh Abubakar, told reporters that the attackers invaded the station about 12:15 am. He said the explosion of the first bomb thrown into the station made a heavy sound that woke many residents who were already asleep, while the second bomb brought down part of the station’s building. He added that the attackers operated for more than two hours without any interference either from security agents or the people of the community. He also revealed that the only police officer on duty, Mr Jibril popularly known as Yellow was killed in the attack while the only operational vehicle in the police station was also bombed.
He said the Eika Community Central Mosque and a Catholic Church near the police station had some of their windows shattered by bullets. He appealed to security agents to be proactive and respond quickly to such attacks.
“As I am talking to you now, there is serious fear and apprehension in Eika Community as people remained indoors for fear of being attacked by gunmen. We are appealing to government to do something immediately because the attack is becoming unbearable,”he said.
Meanwhile, the corpse of the slain policeman has been taken to Obangede General Hospital Mortuary. Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Willy Aya confirmed the incident and said the state Commissioner of Police, Edward Egbuka, had visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment, adding that the police boss had 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. He said part of the Area Command Office was razed by dynamite used by the attackers.
“A Police Inspector died in the exchange of fire with the hoodlums, before the Area Commander and a detachment of the military in the area reinforced to the scene of incident, and the attackers fled,” he noted.