The Kogi State House of Assembly has decried the rising spate of insecurity in Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
In a motion of urgent public importance moved on the floor of the House on Wednesday, the lawmaker representing Bassa State Constituency, Sunday Daku lamented that several persons have been killed by unknown gunmen in the local government.
According to him, “Bassa Local Government Area was noted for peaceful Co- existence, devoid of tribal, religion or political affiliation, until in the year 2016 when the inter-tribal crisis broke out.
“Former Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello carefully Managed the crisis and returned total peace to Bassa Local Government Area and that peace was sustained till His Excellency the present governor of Kogi State Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo came on board.
“The same relative peace that His Excellency Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo inherited from his immediate Predecessor Alhaji Yahaya Bello is now been hampered by unknown gun men who now go about killing the innocent citizens of Bassa Local Government Area.
“About two Months back a man went to his farm, and met his untimely death by Unknown gun men. As if that was not enough, On Wednesday 23 October 2024, the residents of Sheria Town and other Suburb woke-up with shocking and sad news when three illustrious Sons of the land met their death by yet to be identified gun men.
“On Thursday 24th October 2024 again two settlers in Sheria were brazenly killed by yet to be identified gun men.”
The lawmaker urged the Kogi State Government to direct security agencies to intensify more effort to avert further lost of lives in Bassa Local Government Area.
Daku also wants the government to direct security agencies to swing into action to fish out the perpetrators and make them face the full wrath of the law.
In his contribution, the member representing Ajaokuta State Constituency Abu Onoru-Oiza Jibrin explained that the attacks in Bassa LGA are getting out of hand, adding that, farmers are mostly the target.
He said, “These attacks are usually targeted against farmers in the various local government areas where farming is taking place. We have also discovered that no value is being placed on human life anymore by this attack.
“I am privileged to have seen some gory images from this incident where people’s head were beheaded, intestines removed. This is not good for our State. There must be an urgent action to save the lives of our people.”
Major Enefola of Igalamela called for the removal of some security officers in Bassa LGA, alleging that they are accomplices in the killings of innocent people in the area.
The Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Aliyu Yusuf directed the House Committee on Security to carry out a comprehensive investigation using local vigilantes, to know the possible cause of the killings in Bassa LGA.
He urged the security agencies in the local government to apprehend the perpetuators of the crime so that they can face the full wrath of the law.