LOKOJA: Gunmen have abducted nine people, including a woman and her three children, in Inele-Ugoh village, Igah Ikeje community, Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, December 19, 2025, when more than 40 armed men reportedly invaded the community.
The woman and her children were said to be travelling to a neighbouring community for a burial when they were intercepted by the assailants and taken into the forest.
Five other victims were also kidnapped from their farms during the attack.
An eyewitness told reporters that the sheer number of the attackers, as well as the weapons they carried, overwhelmed local vigilante members, forcing them to retreat without resistance.
Following the incident, the community reportedly sent distress calls to soldiers of the Nigerian Army’s 12 Brigade stationed at a nearby checkpoint.
However, the troops arrived after the gunmen had already escaped into the forest.
Although soldiers and local vigilantes have begun combing the surrounding areas in search of the abducted persons, residents expressed concern that without aerial surveillance, rescuing the victims may prove difficult.
A community police source said the criminal group operates in large numbers and frequently relocates their captives. According to the source, the bandits often move in groups of up to 200, splitting into smaller units and constantly changing locations, making them hard to track.
Members of the Kogi East Neighbourhood Watch also reported a recent surge in kidnapping incidents across Olamaboro communities, noting that the attackers are heavily armed and believed to be infiltrating the area from neighbouring states.
Residents have called on both the state and federal governments to deploy more security personnel and provide aerial support, including drones or helicopters, to curb the growing insecurity in the area.
