Nine persons, including a woman and her three children, have been abducted by gunmen in Inele-Ugoh village, Igah Ikeje community, Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The abduction occurred in the early hours of Friday, December 19, 2025, when more than 40 heavily armed men reportedly stormed the rural community, causing widespread panic among residents.
According to local sources, the woman and her three children were travelling to a neighbouring community to attend a burial ceremony when the assailants intercepted them along the road and forcibly marched them into the forest.
In the same operation, five other residents were kidnapped from their farms, bringing the total number of abducted persons to nine.
An eyewitness told Punch that the sheer number of attackers and the sophistication of their weapons prevented members of the local vigilante group from resisting the invasion.
“The number of the attackers and the weapons they carried scared local vigilante members from confronting them,” the eyewitness said.
Following the attack, community leaders reportedly raised distress calls to soldiers of the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, who are stationed at a nearby checkpoint in the area. However, by the time the troops arrived, the gunmen had already escaped into the surrounding forests.
Although troops and local vigilantes have commenced search operations, residents expressed deep concern that the absence of aerial surveillance could hamper rescue efforts.
A community police source revealed that the criminal group is known for operating in large, mobile formations, making it difficult for ground forces to track them.
“These bandits move in large groups, sometimes up to 200, and often split into smaller units. They do not stay in one location but keep moving their captives from one place to another,” the source said.
The source further warned that relying solely on ground troops may prove ineffective.
“Ground troops alone may not succeed without aerial support. Drones or police helicopters from Lokoja are needed to flush them out. We will not enjoy Christmas if these criminals remain in our forests.”
Members of the Kogi East Neighbourhood Watch also confirmed a recent surge in kidnapping incidents across Olamaboro communities, noting that armed groups are increasingly exploiting forest routes and porous borders.
“The gunmen are clearly infiltrating the area from neighbouring states. They operate in large numbers and are heavily armed,” a member of the group said.
Another resident described the attackers as bold and relentless, stressing that they operate at all hours.
“They are audacious and desperate, striking both day and night. We need more security deployment and aerial surveillance by both the state and federal governments to curb the menace of these criminals,” the resident added.
The incident has further heightened fears among residents of Kogi East, particularly as the Christmas season approaches, with renewed calls for enhanced military presence, intelligence-led operations, and aerial monitoring to stem the growing wave of abductions.
