TheCable

Ten people were killed in the Okene area of Kogi state during a bloody encounter between members of an extremist sect and men of the Nigerian army on Tuesday.

Some soldiers, who sustained injuries in the incident, are said to be receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.

According to NAN, security men stormed a mosque located on Inike street in Okene with the aim of dislodging the sect members.

The soldiers were said to have obtained information from two members of the sect, who were arrested during a gun attack at the office of the state security service in Lokoja on September 25.

Meanwhile, normalcy is said to have returned to the area but residents have reportedly refused to come out of their houses because of fear.

William Aya, public relations officer of the Kogi state police command, refused to give details of the incident, describing it as “a pure military affair”.

Efforts to get the reaction of the commander of the Nigerian army records command in Lokoja proved abortive.