A fresh wave of bandit attacks has rocked rural communities in Yagba East and Yagba West Local Government Areas of Kogi State, leaving residents in fear and security agencies scrambling to respond.

SaharaReporters learnt that the coordinated assaults began on November 30 and continued into the early hours of December 1, targeting settlements already struggling with recurring insecurity.

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Fatalities and Abductions

In Idofin, armed attackers stormed the Tiv community, killing a resident identified as Nicholas. Three women were abducted during the raid, while another person remains missing as locals and vigilante groups continue frantic searches.

In Odo-Eri, a man named Ola Abanikanda was seized by suspected bandits. Family members reported that kidnappers attempted ransom negotiations but struggled to communicate in English, causing calls to break off.

Residents across both LGAs are calling on the Kogi State Government and federal security agencies to take urgent measures to halt what they describe as escalating and coordinated assaults.

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Church Abduction in Ejiba

The violence continued in Ejiba, Yagba West, where gunmen attacked a Cherubim and Seraphim Church, abducting the pastor, known as Orlando, his wife, and several congregants.

Footage from the scene showed Bibles and shoes scattered across the church floor, highlighting the chaos during the attack.

Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, condemned the incident as “deeply disturbing and unacceptable,” assuring that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims. He noted that Ejiba, a border LGA, has experienced repeated attacks, often targeting isolated worship centers without adequate security.

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Community Response

Residents remain tense and are urging heightened security deployments, citing the attacks as evidence of growing lawlessness in the region. Security authorities had not issued an official statement on the Idofin and Odo-Eri incidents at press time.