Tragedy struck the community of Irunda-Ile in Isanlu, Kogi State, on Wednesday when two young protesters lost their lives after being hit by stray bullets fired by security personnel. The violent incident unfolded during a confrontation between local youths and officers deployed to the area.
Protest Turns Deadly After Bandit Attack
The chain of events began in the early hours of Wednesday, when armed bandits launched a violent assault on the Irunda-Ile community, located in the Yagba East Local Government Area. In the ensuing shootout, the attackers killed two members of the local vigilante group.
Angered by the attack and what they perceived as a slow response, youths from the community later staged a protest. Witnesses reported that the demonstration was against the rising insecurity in the area. Tensions escalated when the protesting youths confronted police officers who had been deployed to the community, accusing them of delaying the pursuit of the bandits into the bush.
Confrontation and Casualties
The situation quickly deteriorated into a melee. According to the Bobagunwa of Irunda Isanlu, Chief David Oni Sunday, security operatives opened fire during the confrontation. Two youths were fatally struck by stray bullets in the chaos.
Chief Sunday provided a grim account of the aftermath. "In the melee that followed, two youths were hit by stray bullets, while two others were hospitalised after excessive exposure to tear gas fired by the police," he stated. He summarized the day's devastating toll: "In all, four people were killed today. The bandits killed two vigilantes, and the police mistakenly killed two others."
Medical sources confirmed that the two protesters were pronounced dead, while two other individuals sustained critical injuries and were said to be on life support.
Official Confirmations and Reactions
The Security Adviser to the Kogi State Government, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd), confirmed the bandit attack and the deaths of the two vigilantes. He, however, criticized the actions of the youths who confronted the security team.
Omodara emphasized that the operatives were in the community to provide help and needed cooperation, not resistance. "Security men were drafted to Yagba to chase the bandits away. Even those bandits occupying our mine sites have been neutralised," he asserted.
He reiterated the state government's commitment to safety, stating, "Kogi State Government will not allow criminals to operate. We are working tirelessly to ensure the state remains safe." The Security Adviser also pointed to recent operations, including aerial surveillance, as part of ongoing efforts yielding breakthroughs against criminal elements in the state.
The incident has cast a spotlight on the volatile security situation in parts of Kogi State and the delicate relationship between communities and security forces during times of crisis.
