LOKOJA — Shock and grief have gripped the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State after the party's chairman for Dekina Local Government Area, AlhajiIshaqYunusa, was shot dead by armed assailants along the Itobe–Ochadamu Expressway.
The violent attack occurred around 5:00 p.m. on Thursday near OjuwoOlijo in Ofu Local Government Area. Security officials report that armed gunmen suddenly emerged from the surrounding bush and opened fire indiscriminately on passing vehicles. Yunusa, who was driving a blue Toyota Corolla on his way back from the state capital, Lokoja, was targeted during the ambush.
First responders and security teams arriving at the scene discovered the vehicle abandoned along the highway with Yunusa fatally wounded inside. Reports indicate that another passenger traveling in the same vehicle was forcibly abducted by the attackers and dragged into the nearby forest. The victim's body was subsequently evacuated to Grimard Hospital in Anyigba.
Confirming the incident, the Kogi State Police Command announced that joint security forces, including police personnel and local vigilantes, have launched an intensive bush-combing operation. The tactical team is actively sweeping the surrounding forest to rescue the kidnapped passenger and track down the fleeing gunmen.
Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, has ordered sustained operational presence along the Itobe–Ochadamu transit corridor to restore safety for motorists. State party leaders and local authorities have strongly condemned the assassination, urging residents along the route to stay vigilant and assist law enforcement with any relevant information.
The targeted killing has sparked heightened concerns over highway security across the state, prompting civil society organizations and community leaders to call for permanent military checkpoints along high-risk transport routes. Meanwhile, political colleagues and community members have begun gathering at the late chairman's residence in Dekina to pay their respects, describing Yunusa as a dedicated public servant whose tragic loss leaves a profound void in local governance and community development.
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