Gunmen abduct mother and children in Kogi State
Gunmen suspected to be armed bandits have abducted a mother, her three children, and five other villagers in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, raising fresh security concerns in the region. The attack took place in the early hours of Friday when more than 40 heavily armed men stormed Inele-Ugoh village in the Igah Ikeje community, according to eyewitness accounts.
The woman and her three young children were reportedly on their way to a neighbouring community for a burial ceremony when the attackers intercepted them and forced them into the forest along with five other victims who were taken from their farms. Residents described the gunmen as well-armed and numerous, making it nearly impossible for local vigilante groups to confront them.
Local residents made urgent distress calls to troops attached to the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army at a nearby checkpoint, but the soldiers arrived only after the assailants had already fled deeper into the forest with their captives. Community members and local watch groups say the criminal gangs often operate in large groups that break into smaller units and move quickly from one location to another, complicating rescue efforts.
Security forces and vigilante members have begun combing the surrounding forests in search of the abducted victims, but residents fear that without the support of aerial surveillance, including drones or helicopters from Lokoja, the captors and their hostages may remain hidden in remote areas. Some community members have expressed deep anxiety about the lack of rapid intervention and are calling on both state and federal authorities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted individuals and prevent further kidnappings.
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