‘Six missing’ as gunmen attack buses conveying INEC officials in Kogi

Six persons are reported missing following an attack on buses conveying officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kogi state. 

The incident, which was said to have occurred around 2am on Sunday at Abajana, resulted in several election officials and security operatives sustaining injuries.

Although governorship election in Kogi is not till November 2023, elections for the state house of assembly seats were held on Saturday.

According to NAN, the six missing persons include serving members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The injured persons are at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.

Narrating the incident, Salisu Ibrahim, one of the bus drivers who was shot in his right leg, said the attackers took them by surprise.

“We were on our way back to Lokoja from Abajana with the results of the house of assembly election held there when we were attacked by some people,” Ibrahim said. 

“All the six buses moving in a convoy were attacked and in the process many of us sustained injuries.

“Thank God, none of us died in the process but I learnt some corpers are missing.”

On his part, Dare Owofadaju, a corps member who was shot in his left thigh, said the election was conducted peacefully and “it was when we were returning to Lokoja that we were attacked at Abajana”.

“It is only God that kept us alive considering the way and manner the gunmen attacked us,” he added.

“Thank God some security operatives came to our rescue and rushed those of us injured to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, for immediate treatment.”

Confirming the incident, Williams Ovye-Aya, spokesperson of the Kogi police command, said the police were on top of the situation.

“We are aware of the sad incident and preparing to issue a statement on the attack,” he said.