Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Residents of Odo-Eri community in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State were thrown into panic at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, when armed bandits stormed the village and abducted two residents, a Fulani man identified as Bube and one of his cattle rearers. The attack came less than 48 hours after an intelligence report published on May 18, 2026, had warned about the movement of armed bandits from the Babanla Forest in Kwara State into parts of Yagba West through the Okoloke bush path. According to multiple community sources, the assailants, who were armed with sophisticated weapons including AK‑47 rifles, invaded the quiet agrarian community in the evening hours, firing sporadically to create panic before whisking away the two victims to an unknown destination.
The victims were reportedly herding cattle in the vicinity when the attackers struck. Bube, described by locals as a Fulani pastoralist who had lived in the area for several years, and his unnamed assistant were taken by force. The cattle belonging to the victims were reportedly left behind, suggesting the operation was specifically a kidnapping for ransom rather than livestock rustling, though investigations into the motive are ongoing. As of the time of this report, the kidnappers have not made any contact with the families to demand ransom, deepening anxiety among residents who fear for the safety of the abducted men.
The attack is the latest in a long and bloody series of security breaches that have turned Yagba West into one of the most volatile local government areas in Kogi State. The area, which shares a porous border with Kwara State, has been described by security analysts as a corridor for criminal elements who exploit the dense forests of Babanla, Saminaka, and the surrounding bush paths to launch attacks on vulnerable farming communities. The intelligence report that warned of the bandits' movement had specifically identified the Okoloke bush path, a remote route that has become notorious for criminal activity. On January 10, 2026, bandits struck along the Egbe‑Okoloke Road, abducting a man named Lanlege. He was released five days later after an undisclosed ransom was paid. On February 9, 2026, armed bandits were sighted at dawn near a sawmill along the Okunran‑Okoloke Road, and a local farmer narrowly escaped an abduction attempt.
The Babanla Forest, which straddles the Kwara‑Kogi border, has been a recurring source of security headaches for both states. In October 2025, troops of 2 Division/Sector 3, Operation Fansan Yamma, recorded successes in counter‑banditry operations in Kwara State, rescuing three kidnapped victims during coordinated raids in the Babanla Forest. Despite those efforts, criminal elements have continued to use the forest as a staging ground for attacks on communities on both sides of the border. The May 18 intelligence report appears to have accurately predicted the movement of bandits from that forest into Yagba West, but the authorities were unable to prevent the Odo‑Eri attack.
Odo‑Eri has been a recurring target for bandits in recent months. On April 22, 2026, gunmen invaded the community around 10 p.m., abducted a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, his wife, and several other residents. A source disclosed that at least 20 individuals were taken away during that attack, which saw the assailants arrive on motorcycles and shoot sporadically into the air. The attackers escaped through Abewo Road, heading toward Kwara State. Just two days later, on April 24, bandits returned to the same community and abducted two more residents, identified as Deji Ajigbewu and Abayomi Oloniyo Odole. Residents reported that churches had stopped holding services following the attacks, and many families had begun considering relocating from the area.
The security crisis in Yagba West has drawn widespread condemnation and desperate pleas for intervention. On May 19, 2026, the Kogi State Police Command had earlier issued a statement confirming that security operatives were on the trail of the abductors of the two CRIN officials in Ibadan, but no similar statement has been issued regarding the Odo‑Eri abduction. The Police Public Relations Officer in Kogi State, Afusat Saliu, could not be reached for comment at the time of this report. The Chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area, Tosin Olokun, had in March 2026 announced the closure of all schools and imposed a curfew from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. following a surge in violence. The curfew remains in effect, yet the 9:00 p.m. attack on May 20 occurred squarely within the prohibited hours.
Residents have expressed profound frustration and fear. A community member who spoke on condition of anonymity said that repeated appeals to both the state government and security agencies have yielded no meaningful results. "We have cried out many times, but nothing has changed. These attacks keep happening, and nobody is coming to help us," the resident said. He added that many families are now considering abandoning their homes altogether. "People are already considering leaving this community because we don't feel safe anymore. If nothing is done urgently, everyone will run away." Another resident noted that the bandits have become emboldened, operating with brazen impunity despite the presence of a military forward operating base in Egbe, the commercial center of Yagba West.
The Kogi State Government has taken some measures to address the crisis. In February 2026, the government ordered the temporary closure of markets and motor parks in seven local government areas, including parts of Yagba West, to disrupt the supply chains of terrorists and bandits. The affected communities in Yagba West included Okoloke, Isanlu Esa, Okunran, Ogbe, Ejiba, Odo‑Eri, Igbaruku, Iyamerin, Ogga, Omi, Odo Ara, and Oke Ere. However, residents argue that such measures have done little to stop the bandits, who continue to find alternative routes and supply lines. Governor Usman Ododo has also raised fresh concerns about security threats in Kogi State, revealing that intelligence reports have confirmed the movement of top bandit leaders into the state. Despite these warnings, the attacks have continued unabated.
The abduction of Bube and his cattle rearer is particularly significant because of the ethnic and professional profile of the victims. In an area where farmer‑herder conflicts have sometimes exacerbated insecurity, the fact that the victims were Fulani pastoralists suggests that the bandits are not motivated by ethnic or occupational targeting but by pure criminality. The abductors appear to be indifferent to the identity of their victims, taking anyone who can be ransomed. This observation aligns with the pattern of attacks in Yagba West, which have targeted pastors, teachers, farmers, and now herders, without any apparent discrimination.
As the night of May 20, 2026, gave way to the early hours of May 21, the people of Odo‑Eri remained on edge. Many stayed indoors, too afraid to move about even within their own compounds. The abduction of two of their own has reopened old wounds and deepened the collective trauma of a community that has suffered repeated attacks. The cattle of the victims, left behind in the chaos, stood unattended, a silent testimony to lives disrupted and families shattered.
The Kogi State Police Command has yet to issue a formal statement on the May 20 abduction. The state government has not announced any additional security measures beyond those already in place. And the bandits, having achieved their objective, have melted back into the forest, likely to wait for a ransom negotiation or to plan their next assault. For the families of Bube and his cattle rearer, the waiting has begun, and with it, the agonizing calculus of how to raise money they may not have. For the rest of Yagba West, the message is clear: no one is safe, and the forest is always watching.
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