Labour leader assassinated in Kogi

Chairman of the Non Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Science and Technology Education Board (STEB) branch in Kogi State, Mallam Abdulmumini Yakubu, has been assassinated by unknown gunmen.
Sequel to the gruesome murder, the organised labour in the State on Thursday suspended the ongoing negotiation with the state government on the ongoing strike over nonpayment of salary.

The labour leader was murdered at Ozuwaya, in Okene local government area of Kogi State alongside one Mallam Ibrahim Otaru who came to discuss some community issues with him.

Family sources disclosed to journalists that duo were murdered by heavily armed gunmen when he was performing ablution’ to observe Isha (night) prayer.
The sources added that the assassins numbering 5,were said to have alighted from a Toyota Sienna bus and open fire on them.

The sound of the gun made people to run for their dear lives,while the gunmen made sure that they were dead before they escaped from the scene.
One of the relations name withheld disclosed to newsmen that the death of Abdulmumini Yakubu was a great loss to the Ozuwaya community and education community as well as Ansarul Islam society of Nigeria Okene branch.

“Mallam Abdulmumin Yakub at Ozuwaya in front of his house was killed by unknown gunmen as he was shot on the head together with one other person.
” It’s a compounded shame that our society has turned into bloodletting society by taking innocent lives, whether for personal, worldly or whichever reasons,” he said.
Until his death, Abdulmumin Yakub was a staff of Kogi State Science and Technical teachers board Lokoja,and Kogi State Chairman of the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Ozuwaya Community leader.

In another development, unknown gunmen on Tuesday night murdered a 55 years old man, identified as Abdulganiu Aduki, injured his five year old daughter and his wife at Nagazi in Adavi local government area of the state.
It was gathered that the incident took place at Inori Street of Nagazi community area, at about 7 .30pm on Tuesday.

The gunmen stormed his house, shot him dead while his daughter and his wife sustained serious injuries during the attack.
According to residents of the area, the gunmen were suspected to be hired assassins as Abdulganiu and his family were attacked and left without taking away any item that will suggest they were robbers.

However, the administrator of Adavi local government council, Mallam Abu Enesi Ajoge rushed the woman and her daughter to the hospital for immediate medical attention.
A source close to the family disclosed that “the slained Ganiyu was a carpenter at inoziomi area of Adavi local government.

“The killers came on Tuesday evening, shot him and injured his daughter and his wife.
The attackers were not robbers; they went to the man directly. I was told that they did not take away any property, ” the sources confirmed.
However it was gathered that policemen from the Adavi division later came to the scene to take photographs and remove the body.

Mean while, the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. William Ayah has confirmed the incidents,promising to get the
“The command is working assiduously to unravel the occurrence. We have some leads which we are working on, and we are optimistic of breaking through,” he promised.
The Administrator of Adavi local government councils, Mallam Abu Enesi Ajoge has assured the people of Adavi that the police were still investigating the matter and that all was under control.

Meanwhile, the organised labour in Kogi State says it has suspended discussion with government on the ongoing strike following the gruesome murder of a labour leader Mallam Abdulmumuni Yakubu in Okene on Wednesday
The Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Onuh Edoka and his TUC

counterpart Comrade Ranti Matthew Ojo stated in a statement issued on Thursday in Lokoja which was made available to Daily Times
According to the press statement, the negotiation which suppose to continue with government on Thursday was suspended to enable labour leaders mourn their slained colleague.

According to them, the late Abdulmumuni Yakubu who was until his death, the branch chairman of Non Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools(NASU) at the Kogi State Science Technology and Technical Education Board, was gruesomely murdered alongside his friend in his house in Okene on Wednesday night.

According to the organised labour , the murder of the unionist was a confirmation of the fear that the lives of the labour leaders in the state are daily threatened because of their agitations for better welfare package for civil servants in the state.
“The labour leaders will only return to negotiating table as soon as there is full assurances of their safety and that of the members of their families.

The organised labour condemned the murder of the union leader and called on Kogi state police command and the state government to urgently unravelled his killers, saying the organised labour in the state will fight on to ensure that his death would not go the way of many unresolved murder cases in Kogi State
The labour urged workers to remain steadfast and prayerful for God will surely intervene in their matter shortly
The union also commiserated with the family of the late Abdulmumini.

Idris Ahmed, Lokoja