An unspecified number of persons have reportedly been abducted following an attack by suspected bandits on the Omi-Ara community in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The incident was said to have taken place in the early hours of Tuesday, according to local residents.
However, as of the time of filing this report, the exact number of those abducted and their identities had not been confirmed.
Residents disclosed that relevant security agencies had been informed of the attack, but the Kogi State Police Command was yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP William Aya, were unsuccessful, as repeated phone calls went unanswered and text messages had not been replied to, according to THEPUNCH.
The Yagba axis has, in recent months, witnessed a rise in kidnapping incidents. Between August and November, two churches — a Cherubim and Seraphim church and an ECWA church — were attacked, during which a pastor and his wife were abducted.
In another related incident within the same local government area, the Odo-Ere community was attacked on Sunday night, leading to the abduction of at least four residents.
Those taken during the Odo-Ere attack were identified as Shina Ajere, Mr Kehinde Afolabi, Damilola Ogun, and a woman popularly known in the community as Iya Lara.
Residents noted that the total number of victims abducted during Tuesday’s attack on Omi-Ara remained unclear, adding that the situation was marked by confusion and fear as gunshots rang through the area.
Community members have appealed to security agencies and the Kogi State Government to urgently deploy more personnel to the affected areas and intensify efforts to secure the release of those abducted.
