Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
YAGBA WEST, Kogi State — More than a dozen abducted civilians have been freed in a significant security win for communities in Yagba West Local Government Area, even as fears of renewed bandit activity and escalating kidnappings persist across the region. The development comes amid a broader surge in abductions linked to armed groups operating in and around Kogi West, underscoring ongoing challenges for security forces and local residents alike.
Residents and security sources say that at least 15 kidnapped victims were freed in coordinated rescue efforts involving Nigeria’s military and allied security agencies. While official figures vary, the releases bring a measure of relief to families who had been anxiously seeking news of their loved ones after a spate of high-profile abductions in recent weeks. Authorities have attributed the success to intensified operations targeting criminal hideouts in forested corridors that connect Yagba West with neighbouring local government areas.
The freed individuals are reported to have been held in captivity following attacks by armed bandits — loosely defined as criminal gangs engaged in kidnapping for ransom, extortion and violence — which have surged in parts of Kogi State and across the North-Central region. In one of the most gripping incidents in the past month, gunmen stormed a Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba community, abducting several worshippers including the pastor and his wife during a Sunday service, a violent act that sparked widespread alarm and mobilised security responses. Officials later confirmed that ransom demands had been made for some of those taken, heightening public anxiety.
Security agencies, including the Nigerian Army’s 12 Brigade based in Lokoja, have reported successes in counter-kidnapping operations across both Yagba East and Yagba West Local Government Areas. Troops conducted coordinated search-and-rescue missions within the Ejiba and Saminaka Forest axis, intercepting abducted individuals and disrupting suspected bandit encampments. In previous operations, at least six victims were rescued from captivity, with military spokespersons confirming that sustained pressure by security forces forced some kidnappers to abandon hostages and flee.
The reported release of over 15 victims — combining recent successful recoveries and joint efforts with local security networks — is being interpreted as part of an intensified campaign to clamp down on banditry and restore safety to a region long plagued by insecurity. Community leaders said the freed individuals have been reunited with their families in towns including Egbe, Ejiba and surrounding settlements, where they are recovering and receiving support from local authorities and security agencies.
Despite these gains, the security environment in Yagba West continues to raise alarm. Recent videos and social media reports from the area, including Eyewitness footage and posts from community members, have shown hostages being paraded by armed men demanding ransom payments, amplifying fears of further atrocities. Independent observers have documented that dozens of captives, including elderly worshippers and children, were taken during coordinated ambushes on villages and places of worship.
Local government officials and traditional rulers have repeatedly condemned the attacks, urging residents to remain vigilant, avoid isolated gatherings in high-risk areas, and cooperate with security agencies. The chairman of Yagba West LGA and traditional leaders have reiterated calls for improved intelligence-sharing and community surveillance to deter bandit incursions and protect civilians. They have also appealed for greater federal support, citing the limitations of local security structures in confronting well-armed criminal groups that exploit vast forested terrain as bases for ambushes and kidnappings.
Analysts say the recent uptick in kidnappings and related violence reflects broader insecurity dynamics across central and northwestern Nigeria, where armed groups with varying motives operate with relative freedom. These gangs often leverage ransom economies and weak governance frameworks, carrying out abductions on highways, in rural communities, and even during religious services. The pattern of expanding bandit activity in Yagba West mirrors similar challenges in neighbouring states, where mass kidnappings have drawn national and international attention.
The evolving picture has prompted increased pressure on both state and federal authorities to bolster security infrastructure. Civil society advocates are calling for enhanced coordination between military, police and community-based vigilance networks to pre-empt abductions and ensure swift responses. They argue that lasting security requires not only tactical operations to free captives but also sustained strategic interventions addressing the root causes of banditry, including economic marginalisation, inadequate policing, and porous borders that facilitate the movement of criminal elements.
In response, Kogi State officials have reaffirmed commitments to reinforce patrols, decentralise security deployments into vulnerable communities, and integrate local intelligence into broader counter-kidnapping strategies. Efforts to establish early warning systems and support crisis-response mechanisms have been highlighted as critical components of advancing safety in Yagba West and beyond.
For the families of the newly freed victims, the reprieve is bittersweet — relief at their loved ones’ release is tempered by lingering uncertainty over the fate of others still unaccounted for and the unpredictability of future attacks. Residents continue to call for sustained government action to prevent further kidnappings and to bring perpetrators to justice, while security agencies promise ongoing pressure against criminals targeting innocent civilians.
As investigators and security forces press their campaign against banditry in Yagba West and across the North-Central region, the broader challenge remains stark: reversing entrenched patterns of violence and restoring a sense of security to communities long besieged by abduction and fear.
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