Gunmen kill two soldiers, two others at Okene mosque

::::Kogi State was again under siege on Tuesday following fresh attack by unknown gunmen on
the Okene Central Mosque, where four people, including two soldiers, were killed.
This is coming barely 24 hours after a similar attack on the Deeper Life Bible Church at Otite
led to the death of 20 worshippers.
In the wake of the latest killings, state Governor, Idris Wada, declared a dusk to dawn curfew
in Okene Local Government.
The curfew begins from 6.00 p.m. and ends at 6.00 a.m.
The Governor also announced restriction of all commercial motorcycle activities within Lokoja,
the state capital
The gunmen, according to eyewitnesses, were dressed in white regalia and drove in Hilux Jeep
to the Central Mosque close to the secretariat of Okene Local Government Council.
The attack took place at about 4.00 p.m. during a Ramadan lecture.
The gunmen reportedly opened fire on the people inside the mosque.
A source confirmed that a soldier who was stationed at the mosque was able to kill two of the
attackers before he, too, was killed.
The gunmen were said to have escaped with their jeep before the security agents could arrive
the scene.
Already security has been beefed up in the town with all the major roads in Okene taken over
by security agents.
Kogi State Police Commissioner, Muhammed Katsina, confirmed the incident.
The Governor, who condemned the act of terrorism in the state, urged citizens to go about
their normal businesses, as security agents are at red alert.
Meanwhile, the number of people who died in the Monday gun attack on the Deeper Life Bible
Church at Otite rose to 20 on Tuesday.
Sixteen worshippers died instantly on Monday night when gunmen invaded the church and
opened fire on them.
A source, who confirmed this development to Daily Independent, said the four victims that
died on Tuesday were among the wounded that were earlier hospitalised.
Spokesman of the Federal College of Education, Okene, Peter Obansa, when contacted said the
Dean of Student Affairs of the school, C.O. Omeiza, was critically wounded during the incident.
Obansa also disclosed that a “middle level officer” with the school died in the shooting.
He added that the school authorities were still in the process of finding out if any student of
the institution was caught in the shooting.
“As a community around the school vicinity we know that some students live there, but we are
yet to get a report that any student fell victim,” Obansa said.
And while relatives of the victims and other Okene residents were still grieving over the
Monday night massacre, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was again discovered in
another church in Lokoja, the state capital, on Tuesday morning.
The bomb was found in the Revival House Church.
The device was later taken away by the anti-bomb unit of the Kogi State Police Command for
further analysis.
Also on Tuesday, the apex Northern socio-political group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF),
condemned activities of the Boko Haram sect, especially in the month of Ramadan.
In a statement in Kaduna, the ACF Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, said, “The attacks and
killings of policemen in both Damaturu and Sokoto as well as some churches in Kogi State by
armed men suspected to be members of Boko Haram is very disturbing and horrible, not
because the killings are more dastardly than those of the past but because they desecrate the
holy month of Ramadan.
“Ramadan is a month of sober reflection, of forgiveness that comes with true reconciliation
needed for peaceful coexistence which we all share.
“The forum is not expected to be tired of saying this since God expects genuine commitment
to His injunction from the heart, and not through force, it still calls on all those who kill
themselves in order to kill other people – for whatever reasons – to lay down their arms and
embrace peaceful approaches to addressing concerns/perceived grievances and attaining their
goals.
“This is because in peace, it is very possible to make the most of our diversity, respect them
and love them for common good.
“The heart of ACF also goes to those who lost their loved ones, and to God to provide them
with the fortitude to endure the loss,” the statement added.