Unknown gunmen kill Kogi labour union leader

The Chairman of the Non Academic Staff Union of Secondary School, Science and Technology Education Board (STEB) branch in Kogi State, Mallam Abdulmumini Yakubu has been murdered by unknown gunmen.

Following the development, the organised labour in the state on on Thursday suspended ongoing negotiation with government.

The negotiation which took off on Wednesday, was to explore ways of resoling knotty issues on the salary crisis in the state.

The late Yahubu, who doubled as a community leader was reportedly murdered at Ozuwaya, in Okene Local Government Area, alongside one Mallam Ibrahim Otaru, who was on a visit.

Sources close to the family said he was killed by heavily armed gunmen, while performing ablution preparatory to observing his prayer.

The killers numbering about five were said to have alighted from a Toyota Sienna vehicle and opened fire on their victims.

The gunshots were said to have scared those around running for safety, upon which the unidentified gunmen made sure that Yakubu was dead before they zoomed off.

“Mallam Abdulmumin Yakub was killed at Ozuwaya in front of his house by unknown gunmen. He was shot on the head together with one other person.

“It’s a shame that our society has turned into blood society… by taking innocent lives, whether for personal, worldly or whichever reasons,” said a source.

Until his death, Yakubu was a staff of Kogi State Science Teachers Board Lokoja, Kogi State, NASU Chairman and Ozuwaya Community chairman.

In a related development, unknown gunmen on Tuesday night killed a 55 year old man, identified as Abdulganiu Aduki.

His five year-old daughter and the wife sustaines injury in the incident at Nagazi in Adavi LGA.

It was gathered that the incident took place at Inori Street of Nagazi, around 7.30pm on Tuesday.
The gunmen were saidcto have stormed the house, shot him dead while his daughter and wife sustained varying degree of injury during the attack.

The gunmen were said to have left thereafter without taking anything away from the house.

The administrator of Adavi LG, Mallam Abu Enesi Ajoge was said to have rushed the woman and her daughter to the hospital for medical attention.

The deceased, it was gathered worked as 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”, said a resident of the area.

Policemen from the Adavi division later came to the area to take photographs and evacuate the body.

The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. William Ayah confirmed the incident.

According to him, the police will “surely get the killers of Abdulganiu”.

Ayah, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), added: “There was a report that the man was dead and was in a pool of blood and his daughter and wife  were confirmed seriously injured.

“His wife and  daughter were also seriously injured and they have been taken to a hospital for treatment.

“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”.

Meanwhile, the organised labour in Kogi State says it has suspended discussion with government on the on-going 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 gave the indication in a statement issued on Thursday in Lokoja.

According to the statement, the negotiation with the government which was to continue on Thursday was suspended to enable labour leaders mourn their slain 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.

They said, “The labour leaders will only return to negotiating table as soon as there is full assurance of their safety and that of the members of their families”.

They condemned the murder of the union leader and called on Kogi State Police Command and the Kogi State government to urgently unravel 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

They urged workers to remain steadfast and prayerful, for “God will surely intervene” in their matter shortly .

They commensurate with the family of the late Abdulmumini.

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