An attack by “bandits” leaves at least 25 civilians dead in south-central Nigeria

April 7 (EUROPA PRESS) –

At least 25 civilians, including two women and four children, have died this week due to an attack by a group of criminals in the Nigerian state of Kogi, as confirmed this past Saturday by local authorities during the burial of the deceased.

The attack took place last Thursday in the community of Agojeju-Odo, Omala territory, in a “barbaric” assault according to the local district official, David Akpa.

“These people have been murdered in cold blood, when we have never had any misunderstanding either with these bandits or with groups of herders, until now,” Akpa declared in relation to the clashes between Nigerian herders and ranchers, also a source of violence in the country.

Local sources have explained to the 'Premium Times' that Thursday's attack appears to derive from clashes between these bandits and local militias. “The bandits attack farming towns to try to drag these communities into the conflict (with the militias),” they point out.

The special security advisor for the State Governorate, Usman Ododo, has announced the beginning of an investigation to determine whether local militias may have been involved in any way in this attack by the “bandits”, the name that the Nigerian authorities use for designate groups specialized in extortion and kidnapping that particularly devastate the north of the country.