Odo-Ape, Kabba-Bunu LGA, Kogi State | May 22, 2025
By Safiyat Muhammed
Unidentified gunmen have kidnapped 76-year-old retired Nigerian Army Major, Pastor Joe Ajayi, from his residence in Odo-Ape, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, triggering fresh fears over rising insecurity in Okunland.
Ajayi, who previously served as the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kabba-Bunu chapter, was reportedly abducted around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday night, as armed attackers stormed the community and opened fire sporadically for over an hour before taking him away to an undisclosed location.
According to local eyewitnesses, the traumatic incident left residents terrified, with many fleeing their homes during the sustained gunfire.
Community members have voiced grave concern over the health condition of the abducted cleric, who is said to be battling age-related ailments that could be worsened by the trauma and conditions of captivity.
The abduction has sent shockwaves through the community, which has already been grappling with a string of high-profile kidnappings in recent months. The Okun Development Association (ODA) had earlier raised alarms about the escalating wave of insecurity in Okunland, citing recent abductions—including the kidnapping of a first-class traditional ruler in Okoloke, Yagba West LGA.
In a previous statement, the ODA urged both federal and state governments, as well as security agencies, to take immediate and coordinated action to halt the menace of kidnapping in the region.
“This latest abduction only reinforces our fears that the Okun-speaking parts of Kogi State are increasingly under siege. We can no longer live like this,” a concerned community member told The Bureau Newspaper.
This is not the first incident this year. In earlier cases, a council member was kidnapped from his home, and days later, three individuals and a child were abducted from a farm—all within the same region.
So far, there has been no official statement from security agencies or the Kogi State Government regarding Ajayi’s abduction.
