Gov. Usman Ododo of Kogi has expressed shock and sympathy over the recent killing of 25 persons during bandits attack in Agojeju-Odo community in Omala Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Ododo, who spoke on the attack in Lokoja, regretted the ugly dimension that communal clashes between people in the area have assumed over time.

He promised immediate intervention by his administration to forestall a reoccurrence of the unfortunate situation.

“I am assuring the citizens that the perpetrators of the dastardly act will be brought to justice soon.

“Already, security agencies are on the trail of the assailants whose acts of mindless cowardice resulted in the destruction of lives and property in the area,” he said.

The governor has sent a delegation led by the state deputy gov. Joel Oyibo-Salifu on a condolence visit to the area.

According to him, the kinetic and non-kinetic measures deployed by the state government have led to relative stability in the Omala Local Government Area until the recent escalation of the conflict.

He further promised to deploy a detachment of the recently established Metropolitan Quick Response to the area to complement the existing security architecture in Omala LGA.

Mr Ododo, however, commiserated with relatives of those killed in the crisis and promised that the government would provide support for those injured and others whose houses were destroyed in the attack.

Bandits reportedly killed at least 25 people and wounded an unspecified number of others in the LGA on April 4.

The attack reportedly came in retaliation for local residents recently killing six herders.

(NAN)