Ambulance tranporting corpse for burial attacked by gunmen, undertaker killed

Ambulance tranporting corpse for burial attacked by gunmen, undertaker killed

Segun Adekoya, the director of an ambulance, was killed over the weekend when unknown gunmen ambushed the ambulance vehicle on the Egbe-Ogbe-Ponyan road in Kogi State’s Yagba East Local Government Area.

Around 5 p.m. on Saturday, Adekoya and his group were on their way back to Egbe from a burial service in the neighboring Ponyan community when the incident occurred.

Reports indicate that the group had been transporting a corpse from a hospital in Egbe, located in Yagba West Local Government Area, to Ponyan for burial when the ambush occurred.

The gunmen opened fire on the ambulance, fatally wounding Adekoya and causing widespread shock in the region.

“The undertaker group headed by Aegun Adekoya is loved greatly in the community, because of its quality service delivery at funeral or burial ceremony.

“He bought a well equipped ambulance on 24th December 2024, with the assistance of people to ease smooth operation of his chosen profession in the community.

“On Saturday morning, with his workers , he took a corpse for burial from Egbe hospital to Ponyan, prosecuting it successfully.

“Shortly after fixing a punctured tire on his way back , he ran into an ambush of the hoodlums, numbering about 30.

“While others escaped from the scene , he could not, as an accident that affected one of his legs years ago rendered it useless, making him to always shuffle in walking .

“His life less body was picked up on Sunday morning beside the road , shortly after farmers spotted it and raised alarm,” said Ademola Ganiyu, a resident of Egbe.

Residents of Yagba East Local Government Area in Kogi State are pointing to the ongoing herders-residents conflict and the growing presence of kidnappers in the region as potential causes behind the recent attack on an ambulance that led to the death of Segun Adekoya.

Many locals believe the gunmen responsible for the ambush could be linked to the ongoing tension between herders and residents, while others attribute the violence to the activities of kidnappers who have been operating in the area for months.

In a related incident, residents reported that another individual was kidnapped along the same route on Saturday, the same day as the ambulance attack.

The victim’s motorcycle and personal belongings were recovered from the scene, but the identity of the kidnapped person remains unclear as investigations continue.

Community leaders have strongly condemned the killing and expressed deep concerns about the growing insecurity in the area.

Chief Leke Akogun, a prominent community leader, lamented the frequent attacks and the resulting climate of fear that has forced many locals to stay indoors and halt their daily activities.

“Our ward (Ogbe) was once a peaceful farming community that thrived economically in Yagba West, but it has now become a hotspot for kidnappers,” said Akogun.

“These recent attacks are a stark reminder of the worsening security situation here.”

The Minority Leader in the Kogi State House of Assembly, Otunba Ibikunle Idowu, who hails from the community, echoed similar concerns.

He noted that the area’s proximity to three states—Kwara, Ekiti, and Ondo—makes it particularly vulnerable to attacks and criminal activities.