Nasarawa Boils; As Police Commissioner, SSS, Civil Defence Officers Among 90 Persons Feared Dead In A Police-Militants Clash
An Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Momoh, about 15 officers of the Civil Defence Corps and a number of officers of SSS were among over 90 persons feared killed in a gun battle between security operatives and members of local Eggon militia group, Ombatse, in Alakyo village in Lafia East Development Area of Nasarawa state. The security agents were said to be on a mission to arrest the leader of the group, Baba Alakyo.
Nasarawa state governor, Umaru Tanko Almakura had earlier proscribed the ethnic militia group for its acts of terror in the state. The militia men were said to have ambushed the security agents after getting the hint that they were on their way to their location. Addressing newsmen on the incident in his office, the state commissioner of police, Mr. Abayomi Akeremale said he decided to send policemen on the assignment to avert an impending religious crisis due to Alakyo’s forceful administering of traditional concoction on adherents of other religions at variance with the Ombatse spiritual beliefs and practices.
Some surviving but badly wounded security agents were said to have been rushed to Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia, for initial treatment. Gov Almakura who spoke on the incident which happened yesternite said that the incident happened in a village called Alakyo about 10km from Lafia, the state capital.
“The position of this militia is unacceptable to the government and already, we are taking appropriate steps to see that the perpetrators of this act are brought to book”. Explaining how the incident happened, Almakura said, “I am here to meet with His Excellency, the Vice President to brief him about the security situation in my state. Just yesterday, we have a very bitter security problem that has caused the death of some security officers in the state.Two weeks ago, we discovered a certain militia group holding arms and carrying out cultist activities in the state.
“Since January, this thing has not abated and in the past two weeks, it took a total different dimension.They have been going for one place to another including churches and taking people for that particular ethnic group to come and take portions that are meant to empower them to do what they want to do.This escalated and is causing serious concern for the state. We decided to hold security meeting to find a way of solving the problem.
“The solution was to go to the shrine and pick on the cult leader so that the problem will be solved once and for all.As security operatives were approaching the shrine, unknown to them that ambush has been laid for them, these people attacked them and resulted in the death of more than 20 policemen.This is a situation that is so grave and I feel it is very important that
I come to brief the Vice President about the security situation and to seek assistance so that we can handle the matter once and for all”.
Source: Ireports-ng
