Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Egbe, Kogi State — A man abducted by suspected bandits along a major roadway in Kogi State has been freed after a ransom was reportedly paid, local news sources confirmed on Thursday, January 15, 2026. The release brings a measure of relief to a community alarmed by repeated kidnappings along the Egbe–Okoloke Road, one of several routes in the state that have become flashpoints for criminal activity.
The victim, identified as Mr. Lanlege, was reportedly seized on Friday, January 9, 2026, while travelling for his routine daily activities in Yagba West Local Government Area. According to community sources quoted in reports, armed assailants intercepted him en route and took him to an undisclosed location shortly thereafter.
Following days of behind-the-scenes negotiations between the captors and concerned parties, Mr. Lanlege was ultimately released by his abductors. Although both community members and local media described the outcome as positive, details of the ransom amount and specific conditions of his freedom remain undisclosed. Neither the Nigeria Police Force nor other official security agencies had issued a formal statement about the case at the time of reporting.
The incident has underscored ongoing insecurity challenges in parts of Kogi State’s rural areas, where criminal gangs frequently target travellers, traders and residents. Kidnappers have continued to exploit remote roads and forested areas to carry out abductions and ransom demands, creating persistent fear and disruption for commuters and local communities.
In other related security developments in the state, community negotiators have also recently secured the release of additional victims abducted from a church in Aiyetoro Kiri Bunu, where more than 30 worshippers were taken hostage in mid-December 2025. Local sources say 17 of those captives were freed after sustained dialogue between families, community associations and the captors.
Residents and community leaders in Yagba West and neighbouring areas have renewed their calls for strengthened patrols, enhanced intelligence efforts and more robust security presence along major axes like the Egbe–Okoloke corridor to protect lives, reduce crime and restore confidence among travellers and residents affected by recurrent violence.
The release of Mr. Lanlege, while welcomed, highlights the complex and ongoing security dilemma confronting parts of Kogi State, where banditry and ransom-driven abductions remain a source of anxiety and hardship for many families and communities.
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