Security personnel have shot and killed a notorious criminal named Kabir Bala who was connected to the death of Salome Abu, the woman who led the Peoples Democratic Party.
A pardoned convict named Bala was murdered on June 21 at Ejule in Kogi state’s Ofu Local Government Area.
Akeem Yusuf, the state’s commissioner of police, confirmed the death of the suspect, who is thought to be responsible for seven kidnappings along the Itobe-Anyigba Highway between May 5 and May 28, 2023;
It should be remembered that the Kogi State Government pardoned a notorious gang leader named Kabir Bala, aka Okwo, in Ejule, Ofu LGA, in October 2018 as an act of mercy as part of his rehabilitation.
“However, the aforementioned Kabir Bala continued to be an unrepentant criminal with numerous crimes linked to him, including dealing in illegal weapons, kidnappings, and murders in the state.
“Several cases had been linked to him, including the November 2015 burning alive of Mrs. Salome Abu, a PDP woman leader in Olu LGA, in her home at Ochadamu, and the April 20, 2022 murder of two gala youths, Umoru Abeh and Unerwu Sule, at Ejule.
Bala also murdered five other Fulani herders, including Ibrahim, Haruna, and Shuaibu Wang in April 2022 on Alloma Road in the Ofu LGA and Muhammad and Dauda in March 2023.
“Kabir Bala and his gang also attacked Nigerian Navy soldiers and took four rifles from them at the Alloma village on March 4, 2022, among other crimes. However, after a powerful intervention, the weapons were eventually given back to the Navy.
“Attack on Elisha Aya, a pastor and founder of the Kingdom Faith Assembly, Ejule, on March 18, 2022, who later paid N1m to Bala as a levy for establishing a church; invasion of Egane Fulani settlement; burning of 213 huts; rustled 122 cows on December 25, 2022, and assault on the Lord’s Chosen Church, Ejule, on January 29, 2023, for disturbing his hotel with their service, during which a worshipper, Joy Abuh, sustained a gunshot injury on her left hand.”
Yusuf also disclosed that after the state security council decided to immediately revoke Bala’s 2018 pardon, security personnel and Bala engaged in a gunfight. Security agencies were instructed to find him and arrest him right away for prosecution alongside known accomplices at the meeting on June 20, 2023.
Added the police commissioner:
“Joint operations should be set up comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, DSS, and Civil Defence, to go after Kabir Bala and his gang to arrest them and recover the arms in their possession.
“Today, June 22, 2023, around 04.30am in pursuit of Kabir Bala and his gang members, on sighting the joint security team, opened fire on them and started shooting sporadically.
“The team engaged the hoodlums and Kabir Bala was neutralised in the process while other members of his gang escaped with varying degrees of injury.”
One AK-47 rifle with three fully loaded magazines, six locally made weapons, two phones, and charms were among the items seized from his premises.
Yusuf added that the fight against criminal activity would continue in order to protect people and property in the state.
