Gunmen on Friday abducted nine persons, including a woman and her three children, in Inele-Ugoh village, Igah Ikeje community, Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The attack was said to have occurred in the early hours of the day when over 40 armed men reportedly invaded the community, causing panic among residents.
Sources said the woman and her three children were travelling to a neighbouring community for a burial when the assailants intercepted them and whisked them away into the forest.
Five other victims were also reportedly kidnapped from their farms during the coordinated attack.
An eyewitness said the sheer number of the attackers and the sophisticated weapons they carried prevented local vigilantes from confronting them.
Following the incident, distress calls were sent to troops of the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army stationed at a nearby checkpoint, but the soldiers reportedly arrived after the kidnappers had fled.
Although troops and local vigilantes have commenced a search of surrounding forests, residents expressed fears that the operation may be ineffective without aerial surveillance.
A community police source said the criminal group is known to operate in large numbers and constantly relocate their captives.
“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.
“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,” the source said.
Members of the Kogi East Neighbourhood Watch also confirmed a recent surge in kidnapping incidents across Olamaboro communities.
“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, calling for urgent intervention by security agencies.
“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.
Efforts to get official confirmation from the Kogi State Police Command proved unsuccessful, as calls to the command’s spokesperson were not returned as of the time of filing this report.
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