20 killed after gunmen attack town in South West Nigeria

Abuja

At least 20 people were reported killed on Saturday night after gunmen attacked Igangan community, a town in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, South West Nigeria.

Gunmen on motorcycles invaded the town at about 11.10pm and opened fire on innocent citizens and burned down property.

The police public relations officer in the state, Mr Adewale Osifeso, said on Sunday that some of the assailants were among the dead.

The police further said that a number of vehicles and buildings, including the Palace of the Asigangan of Igangan town and a filling station were razed.

He said that the Commissioner of Police Ngozi Onadeko on Sunday visited the town to assess the situation.

Joint security meeting

“Intelligence and tactical apparatuses consisting of Police Mobile Force personnel, patrol units and other tactical teams in concert with local hunters and vigilantes from the community were deployed to forestall further breakdown of law and order in the area.

Meanwhile, the six governors in South West have directed a joint security meeting of all commanders, under the South West Security Network, Amotekun, in order to immediately commence joint operations in the region.

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the chairman of Southwest Governors’ Forum, who described the attack as “a cowardly onslaught”, urged security agencies “to get to the root of this latest act of provocation”.

Assault on communal harmony

The chairman also called on all well-meaning Nigerians to condemn, in the strongest possible terms, “this latest assault on decency and communal harmony”.

“It is horrendous, callous, and highly provocative. They will stop at nothing until their set goal is realised,” he said.

He added that certain elements are “bent on causing friction among the peoples of this country with the sole aim of achieving a pernicious end”.

"It is, therefore, incumbent on all lovers of peace and freedom to rise against this current regression into savagery,” he said.

“We on our part are resolved to defend our people, their property, and all legitimate means of livelihood against both internal and external aggression.  On this, there will be no compromise,’’ he said.