Security operatives have neutalised Kabir Bala, a notorious criminal, who killed Salome Abu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Woman Leader in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State in November 2019.

Addressing a press conference at the headquarters of the Kogi State Police Command in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital on Thursday, the State Commissioner of Police, Akeem Yusuf, said several cases had been traced to Bala such as the burning alive of a PDP Woman Leader in her residence on November 18, 2019, at the Ochadamu area of the state; killing of two Igala youths – Umoru Areh and Unekwu Sule on  April 20, 2022, at Ejule; killing of five Fulani herders – Ibrahim, Haruna and Shuaibu along Alloma Road, Ofu LGA in April 2022, and Muhammed and Dauda at Imoko in Ofu LGA on March 3, 2023.

He listed other crimes committed by the notorious criminal and his gang to include an attack on troops of the Nigerian Navy and dispossessed them of four rifles at Alloma village on March 4, 2022, which were later returned to the Navy following high-powered intervention; attack on Elisha Aya, Pastor and founder of Kingdom Faith Assembly Ejule on March 18, 2022, who later paid N1 million to Bala as levy for establishing a church; invasion of Egane Fulani settlement, burning 213 huts, rustled 122 cows on December 25, 2022; assault on the Lord’s Chosen Church, Ejule on January 29, 2023, for disturbing his hotel with their service, during which Joy Abuh, a worshipper sustained gunshot injury on her left hand.

Yusuf added that Bala, popularly known as Okwo, and his gang members opened fire on a joint security team at about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday upon sighting the operatives.

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Yusuf disclosed that the security operatives engaged the hoodlums, noting that Bala was neutralised in the process, while other members of his gang escaped with varying degrees of injuries.

He said the operation was carried out following the decisions reached at the Kogi State Security meeting on the upsurge of criminal activities in the state.

The police commissioner said the Kogi State Government had, in October 2018, granted Bala pardon in prerogative of mercy as part of efforts to rehabilitate the notorious gang leader in Ejule, Ofu Local Government Area of the state, adding he had turned an unrepentant criminal with many atrocities traced to him.

The police commissioner further disclosed that the Kogi State Security Council, at a meeting held on June 20, 2023, took a decision to revoke the state pardon granted to Bala based on his rising criminal activities.

While giving further details of the decision reached at the Security Council meeting, Yusuf noted that the council reached a decision that known agents of Bala in criminal activities must be apprehended to face the law; “all illegal arms in the possession of criminals in that area should be recovered for peace of the State; and that Joint Operations should be set up, comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, DSS, Civil Defence, to arrest the established criminals and recover the arms in their possession.”

“Today, 22nd June 2023, at about 0430hrs in pursuit of the above, the Kabir Bala and his gang members on sighting the Joint Security team opened fire on them and started shooting sporadically.

“The team engaged the hoodlums; the said Kabir Bala was neutralized in the process while other members of his gang escaped with varying degrees of injuries,” Yusuf added.

He listed the items recovered from the assailants to include one AK 47 rifle with three fully loaded magazines, six locally fabricated weapons, two phones, and charms.

The police boss, however, promised that the Force would sustain ongoing onslaught against criminal activities to ensure the safety of lives and properties in Kogi State.

The Star