Gunmen have killed the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, Ishaq Yunusa, and abducted another occupant of his vehicle during an attack along the Itobe-Ochadamu Expressway.
The incident occurred at about 5 p.m. on Thursday around Ojuwo Olijo in Ofu Local Government Area, throwing fresh concerns over security along the highway.
The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Afusat Saliu, confirmed the attack in a statement made available to journalists in Lokoja on Friday.
Saliu explained that the assailants emerged from the surrounding bush and opened fire on motorists travelling along the route. In the ensuing attack, Yunusa, who was driving a blue Toyota Corolla with registration number GWA 636 CH, was shot dead.
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Another person travelling in the vehicle was seized by the attackers and taken into the bush.
“The driver, identified as Hon. Ishaq Yunusa, was found dead in the vehicle, while another occupant was taken into the bush by the assailants,” the police spokesperson stated.
The abandoned vehicle was later discovered along the highway. Yunusa’s body was evacuated to Grimard Hospital in Anyigba, where it is expected to undergo an autopsy.
The killing has added a political dimension to the security concerns surrounding the route, with the victim serving as the APC chairman in Dekina Local Government Area.
Following the incident, the police and other security agencies launched a search operation across the surrounding forest in an attempt to locate the abducted passenger and track down those responsible for the attack.
Saliu said the command was pursuing available leads while security personnel combed the area for clues that could assist the investigation.
The Commissioner of Police in Kogi State, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, has also ordered sustained operations along the affected corridor. He directed security personnel to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and secure the release of the kidnapped passenger.
The attack points to the vulnerability of motorists travelling through stretches of the state where thick vegetation can provide cover for armed criminals. The assailants reportedly struck after emerging from the bush, giving motorists little opportunity to escape.
The police have consequently called on residents and road users in the area to exercise caution and promptly relay information about suspicious movements to security agencies.
The incident comes against the backdrop of other kidnapping cases recorded in Kogi, including the reported abduction of National Youth Service Corps members and subsequent rescue operations by security personnel.
As things stand now, attention has shifted to the search for the abducted passenger and the identification of the gunmen behind Thursday’s deadly assault. The police said additional information would be released as the investigation progresses.
