The death toll in the attack on Agojeju-Odo community in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State has increased to 25.

The Star had reported that 19 persons were killed and several others injured in Thursday’s bandits attack on the community in Kogi State.

Speaking on the attack on Friday, April 5, 2024, the leader of Agojeju-Odo, Elias Atabor, said the death toll had increased from 19 to 25.

Atabor, who called on the federal government to establish a military base in Omala Local Government Area to checkmate bandits’ incessant attacks on the people, said: “We are so worried that the death toll keeps rising by the hour.”

The figure included four children, while several persons were hospitalised.

Atabor added: “We are pleading with the federal government to bring to our community a military base that will help us to checkmate the incessant attacks in our communities in Omala LGA.

“Thursday’s attack is the second in less than three months this year alone. The first was on January 29 when four persons were killed by bandits.

Gunmen kill 19 in Kogi community

“We cannot continue dying like fowls in our own community. Agojeju-Odo is our ancestral home and we have no other place to go.

“Many of our people are still missing and we are still discovering more corpses. It’s painful and worrying.

“Government should come to our aid and save us before those bandits, who are sophisticatedly armed to wipe us out from this Earth.”

The leader said Agojeju-Odo, Ajokpachi-Odo, and Bagaji communities had become ghost towns with no economic activity going on due to the attacks.

According to him, their children cannot have the desired education because virtually all the schools in those communities are closed down.

Atabor, therefore, expressed gratitude to Ododo and the security operatives for their immediate response by deploying personnel to the troubled communities.

Meanwhile, Commodore Jerry Omodara (rtd), Special Adviser on Security to Governor Usman Ododo, said the death toll had risen to 21, with more being discovered by the hour.

The Star