Gunmen suspected to be bandits have kidnapped six persons in the Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, escalating fears over the worsening security crisis in the region.
The attack, which occurred on Thursday, saw the assailants storm the area, firing sporadically before seizing their victims. According to local sources, the abducted individuals include Johnson Enoch, Dupe Akoro Barinkin, Elder Maiye, and three others. The victims were reportedly marched into the forest immediately after their abduction.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, lamented that kidnappings have become a routine occurrence across Bunu land, forcing many residents to flee their ancestral homes in search of safety.
Efforts to reach the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Ovye Aya, for confirmation were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Braimoh Raises Alarm Over Rising Insecurity
Reacting to the incident, Olayinka Braimoh, a former governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), decried the alarming rate of kidnappings in Kabba-Bunu, calling for urgent federal intervention.
In a statement issued through his campaign office on Saturday, Braimoh expressed deep frustration over the deteriorating security situation, stressing that nowhere in Kabba land is safe.
“I received yet another distressed call from my people in Ayetoro-Kiri, reporting another set of community members kidnapped. It is heartbreaking to see how some influential figures remain silent while our people are being abducted and killed daily,” he lamented.
He criticized the Kogi State Government for failing to effectively deploy its multi-billion-naira security budget to protect the lives and properties of citizens.
“While the government allocates huge funds for security, there is no visible impact on the safety of the people. What good is the people’s vote if the government cannot ensure their protection?” Braimoh questioned.
He further highlighted the disparity in resources between local vigilantes and well-armed criminals, emphasizing that traditional hunters and community defenders lack the firepower to repel attacks.
“Our local hunters and vigilantes, armed only with their traditional weapons, are no match for these criminals, who come with sophisticated firearms. This is why we are urgently calling on the federal government to intervene before we are completely wiped out,” he stated.
Braimoh urged the federal authorities to deploy all necessary security measures to restore peace to Bunu land, warning that continued inaction could lead to a total breakdown of law and order in the region.
