Bandits Kill Vigilante Member During Rescue Mission in Kogi

Suspected bandits have killed a member of a local vigilante group during an ambush in Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The vigilantes were reportedly on a mission to rescue kidnapped victims who had been taken into the forest by bandits operating within the area when the attack occurred.

The deceased was identified as Opeyemi Aina, a member of the Amekunlaye Vigilante Group and a resident of the Ijalu compound in Egbe.

According to reports, Aina was killed in the early hours of Tuesday during a gun battle with the bandits after the vigilante team ran into an ambush while attempting to rescue the abducted victims.

Other members of the group reportedly escaped the attack but sustained varying degrees of gunshot injuries.

A resident, Mathew Babagbmi, said the team encountered the bandits unexpectedly during the operation.

“Opeyemi Aina, alongside other vigilante members, went out to rescue kidnap victims. Unfortunately, during the encounter, he was shot and died instantly,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kogi State Police Command had not issued an official statement confirming the incident.

Saliu Oyiza is currently serving as the spokesperson for the command, having recently taken over from William Ovye Aya.