In the attack, which took place yesterday Saturday, gunmen “suspected to belong to a gang of thugs ambushed and killed eight members of the security forces in the Ajaokuta sector,” a spokesman for the state governor said in a press release he released.
Gunmen killed eight members of Nigeria’s security forces, three policemen and five paramilitaries, in an ambush in Kogi state, in the central part of the country, local authorities said Sunday.
In the attack, which took place yesterday Saturday, gunmen “suspected to belong to a gang of thugs ambushed and killed eight members of the security forces in the Ajaokuta sector,” a spokesman for the state governor said in a press release he released.
Kogi has seen a surge in attacks, some of which have been claimed by Islamic State jihadists, even though the state is far from where they usually operate in the north-east of the country.
Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has relieved a local traditional chief, according to a statement by his spokesman.
“The governor has issued a stern warning to other traditional leaders in the state who may be having relations one way or the other with criminal elements to sever them immediately,” the text said.
Traditional chieftains and emirs in Nigeria have no official power, but they wield great influence, playing a local role as custodians of culture and religion.
In June, gunmen attacked a police station in Okehi District of Kogi State, killing one policeman, while in April, three other policemen were killed in an attack on a police station in Adavi town.
The Islamic State in West Africa (ISIS), which split from Boko Haram in 2016 and has become the dominant jihadist organization in northeastern Nigeria, claimed responsibility for the two attacks.
The same group claimed responsibility for the July attack on a prison near the capital Abuja, during which hundreds of inmates — including dozens of jihadists — escaped.
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