Gunmen Attack Ambulance En Route, Kill Undertaker

Gunmen ambushed an ambulance along the Egbe-Ogbe-Ponyan road in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State on Saturday, killing Segun Adekoya, an undertaker and director of a funeral service. The attack occurred around 5 p.m. while Adekoya and his team were returning to Egbe after conducting a burial in Ponyan.

Adekoya, well-known in the community for his funeral services, had recently purchased a fully equipped ambulance with community support to enhance his operations. Earlier that day, he and his team transported a corpse from a hospital in Egbe, Yagba West, to Ponyan for burial. On their way back, after fixing a punctured tire, they were ambushed by gunmen, reportedly numbering about 30.

While other members of the group managed to escape, Adekoya, who had difficulty walking due to a past accident, was unable to flee. His lifeless body was discovered the following morning beside the road after local farmers raised an alarm.

Residents have attributed the attack to the ongoing tensions between locals and herders in the area, while others suspect the involvement of kidnappers who have been active along the route. Another unidentified individual was reportedly kidnapped in the same area on Saturday, with the victim’s motorcycle and belongings recovered at the scene.

Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Kogi State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Williams Aya, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or messages.

Community leaders and stakeholders have condemned the killing, describing it as another sign of the worsening security situation in the region. Chief Leke Akogun, a community leader, lamented the rising wave of attacks, stating that fear has driven many residents indoors, disrupting daily activities.

Minority Leader of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Otunba Ibikunle Idowu, who hails from the community, linked the frequent attacks to the area’s proximity to Kwara, Ekiti, and Ondo states, making it a vulnerable target for criminals.