Several people were abducted Tuesday in a renewed attack along the Omi-Odo Ara Road in Kogi State’s Yagba West Local Government Area, Nigeria, residents said, intensifying fears that armed groups are tightening their grip on rural communities in the state.
Local sources told SaharaReporters that the abductions occurred earlier in the day, though the number of victims and their identities had not been officially confirmed. Residents said security agencies were alerted shortly after the incident, while community leaders urged people in surrounding villages to limit movement and report suspicious activity as fear spread across the area.
The latest attack follows a string of similar incidents in Yagba West that have heightened anxiety among residents and exposed what many describe as gaps in security coverage. On Monday, SaharaReporters reported that at least four people were taken during a coordinated nighttime raid on Odo-Ere community. Those abducted were identified as Engr. Shina Ajere, Kehinde Afolabi, Damilola Ogun and a woman popularly known as Iya Lara.
Residents of Odo-Ere told SaharaReporters that the assailants, believed to be heavily armed, stormed the community late Sunday night, firing sporadically as they moved from house to house. While several residents were confirmed kidnapped, others said the total number of victims remained unclear, fueling concern that additional people may have been seized during the chaos.
A local community platform, Egbe Mekun, said another apartment was targeted during the Odo-Ere attack. The building reportedly showed visible gunshot damage, including a bullet that penetrated the structure, though the attackers were unable to force their way inside. Witnesses described a night of panic as sustained gunfire echoed across the community.
Community leaders said the repeated assaults point to a troubling pattern in Yagba West and neighboring areas, where rural roads and villages have increasingly become soft targets for armed groups. They appealed to security agencies and the Kogi State government, Nigeria, to urgently deploy more personnel, strengthen patrols along key routes and intensify efforts to secure the release of those abducted.
Odo-Ere and other communities in Yagba West have witnessed a rise in attacks in recent months, reflecting broader security challenges across parts of Nigeria’s North-Central region. Analysts say the frequency of kidnappings along rural roads underscores how criminal groups are exploiting limited surveillance and slow emergency response in remote areas, raising questions about the sustainability of current security strategies.
The insecurity has not been limited to Yagba West. SaharaReporters also reported Sunday that a pastor with Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel, was kidnapped Saturday while heading to his farm in Okoro Gbedde, in neighboring Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. The cleric was later released unharmed after spending several days in captivity and was found in Aiyetoro Gbedde, SaharaReporters reported. Egbe Mekun said no ransom was paid for his release.
Residents across the region say the spate of abductions has disrupted daily life, affecting farming, trade and movement along key roads. Without visible arrests or sustained security operations, community members fear the attacks could continue unabated, further deepening mistrust and anxiety in already vulnerable rural areas.
As of press time, there was no official statement from the Kogi State government or security agencies on Tuesday’s abductions.
SaharaReporters
