Gunmen have once again attacked Okoloke, a farming community in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, abducting four individuals in the early hours of Tuesday. This marks the third kidnapping incident in the area within a week, raising concerns over rising insecurity.
According to local sources, the armed assailants stormed the residence of Ezekiel Durojaiye, a retired civil servant and respected community leader in nearby Okunran village. Durojaiye and three others were forcibly taken at gunpoint and led into the surrounding forest.
This latest incident follows a series of abductions in Yagba West. Just last Thursday, Oba James Dada Ogunyamda, the traditional ruler of the area, was kidnapped. Three days later, two vigilante members and another resident were also taken by unidentified gunmen.
In total, eight people have been abducted from the same region in just seven days, fueling panic among residents and prompting calls for urgent government intervention.
The kidnappers of the 90-year-old monarch are reportedly demanding a ransom of N100 million, later negotiated to N50 million, as his family pleads with authorities and the public for financial assistance.
Despite assurances from Yagba West Local Government Chairman, Tosin Olokun, and the Kogi State Police Command that rescue operations are underway, no official updates have confirmed the safe return of any of the recently abducted victims.
However, in a separate operation, the Kogi State Police Command announced on Monday that its operatives, working alongside the Nigerian Army and Fulani vigilantes, rescued three kidnapped victims during a coordinated raid on Ankomi Forest.
According to a statement from the Command’s Public Relations Officer, William Aya, the joint team engaged the kidnappers in a gunfight, forcing them to abandon their captives and flee with gunshot wounds. The victims were recovered unhurt.
The state remains on edge as security forces continue efforts to combat the growing wave of kidnappings in the region.
