Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A major security alert has been issued in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State following intelligence that 20 armed bandits crossed into the area in the early hours of Monday, May 18, 2026, through the Okoloke bush path, raising fears of an imminent attack. A source confirmed to Egbe Mekun Parrot, a community‑based news platform, that the gunmen entered Yagba West from the Babanla forest in Kwara State, a known hideout for criminal gangs operating along the Kogi‑Kwara border. The development has placed communities including Egbe, Odo‑Ere, Odo‑Eri, and Ejiba on high alert, with security operatives expected to intensify surveillance in the affected areas.
The Okoloke bush path has long been identified as a transit route for bandits moving between Kwara and Kogi states. In 2025, a kidnap victim told security sources that he was led through the Oke‑Ere and Okoloke forests after being abducted, then taken to a hideout in Eruku Forest in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. Babanla Forest in Ifelodun LGA of Kwara has also been repeatedly described by traditional rulers and security analysts as a haven for kidnappers and bandits, with the vast woodland providing cover for criminal elements who stage cross‑border attacks into Kogi communities.
The latest intelligence has sent waves of anxiety through Yagba West, a local government area that has witnessed a surge in banditry, kidnappings, and violent attacks over the past year. Just last month, troops rescued a kidnap victim in the area, neutralising one suspect. In March, armed bandits burnt a cashew‑laden vehicle along the Egbe–Eruku Road, shot a resident, and abducted several farmers. In February, two persons were abducted while working on a farm in Oke‑Ere. The repeated incidents have forced many farmers to abandon their fields and schools to close temporarily, devastating the local agrarian economy.
A local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Egbe Mekun Parrot that the bandits were believed to be moving from the Babanla axis to launch a possible kidnapping operation within Yagba West. Egbe, the commercial nerve centre of the local government, is particularly vulnerable, as it sits along major roads linking Kogi to Kwara, Ekiti, and other South‑West states. The Egbe‑Okoloke Road has previously been the scene of abductions, including the kidnapping of a man identified as Lanlege in January, who was seized while going about his daily activities. Residents have repeatedly appealed for a permanent security presence along these corridors, but the pleas have largely gone unanswered.
The chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area has not yet issued an official statement on the latest intelligence, but security agencies are reportedly taking the alert seriously. A police source in the area confirmed that patrols have been stepped up, particularly around the Okoloke entry point and the communities of Egbe, Odo‑Ere, Odo‑Eri, and Ejiba. Residents have been urged to remain vigilant, to avoid late‑night movements, and to report any suspicious activities immediately. The traditional ruler of Egbe, the Obaro of Egbe, has also reportedly been briefed, and community vigilante groups have been placed on standby.
The entry of 20 armed bandits into Yagba West is the latest in a series of security challenges that have pushed the local government to the brink. Over the past 18 months, the area has become a transit corridor and operational base for criminal gangs who exploit the dense forests and porous borders between Kogi and Kwara. The Kogi State Government has previously announced measures to tackle insecurity, including the deployment of additional police and military personnel to border communities, but the results have been mixed. As the sun sets on Monday, the people of Yagba West are once again looking over their shoulders, hoping that the intelligence was wrong, or that the security forces will act before the bandits do.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments