Kogi: Boko Haram, army in gunfight

Some suspected Boko Haram members and Nigerian soldiers reportedly engaged in a gunfight on Tuesday in Inike, a community in Okene Local Government Area, Kogi State.

It was learnt that the troop had trailed a suspect, who reportedly escaped from prison to a hideout in the community but his group members obstructed the soldiers and opened fire on them.

A resident of Adani, a neighbouring community, who identified himself only as Sulaiman, said about seven members of the sect were killed while two soldiers sustained gunshot wounds.

Sulaiman said there had been palpable fear in Inike since Saturday when the army stormed the group’s hideout.

He said, “According to what I heard, a Boko Haram suspect escaped from prison and ran to meet his group led by one Baba in Inike. Three days ago, (on Saturday), soldiers attempted to arrest him but the group resisted and engaged the army in a gunfight. Nobody died that day.

“Around 6am today (Tuesday), soldiers surrounded the group’s dwelling and started shooting. The group responded. Seven of them were killed in the process while two soldiers were injured.”

The PUNCH learnt from another source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, that the suspect that was trailed to the community was one of the robbers, who robbed workers of the Adani Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday, September 23.

It will be recalled that a popular bank in Ogaminana area of the state was attacked on September 23, when robbers carted away N25m from workers of the local government. Two workers of the bank and two policemen were killed in the robbery.

He said, “I learnt that the soldiers trailed the robbers who robbed at a bank in Ogaminana and stole millions of naira that some workers sent by the chairman of Adani LGA to withdraw for the payment of salaries. The soldiers that were shot were rushed to Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, and I learnt one of them is dead.”