Gunmen Abduct Health Worker, Wife, Others in Kogi Community

Spokesperson of the Kogi State Police Command, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat

Gunmen Abduct Health Worker, Wife, Others in Kogi Community

For the first time in recent history, bandits have polluted the security atmosphere of Iluke, a major settlement in the Bunu district of Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, Kogi State, abducting an unspecified number of persons. The gunmen were said to have invaded the Oke Bukun area in the community in the dead of night at about 1 a.m., on Thursday, May 21, 2026. They whisked away a community health worker popularly called ‘Dr. Ebi’ (omo Kemuna) and his wife. The hoodlums allegedly carried the abductees on motorcycles. Once the victim, who owned a clinic in Oferre, was in their custody, the hoodlums sporadically released bullets as they escaped from town. Iluke has been thrown into fresh fear because of the attack. People in nearby communities in MopAmuro and Ijumu LGAs woke up to the news, triggering panic among them.

The Bunu district has suffered several untold security breaches in recent times. On Monday, May 4, non-state actors operated on the Iluke to Oferre road, shooting randomly and scaring many people away. Jacob, an unsuspecting commercial driver, could not manoeuvre to safety when he suddenly bumped into them. He was forced to a halt and led into the bush at gunpoint. His tormentors eventually made contact with his family, making a demand of N50 million ransom for his release. A source familiar with the story said the gunmen have thus far stuck to their ground. Before then, gunmen abducted two wives, two children, and an aide of ‘Prof. Wonder,’ the paramount ruler of Odai, a tiny agrarian community close to Iluke, on Wednesday, April 16. The gunmen demanded N150 million for their freedom. When the ransom delayed in coming, the gunmen were said to have killed two of the monarch’s children over time, with the display of the gory acts on social media. More than a month after the attack, the hapless monarch was said to have taken ill and been hospitalised while his family remained in the jungle with their tormentors. A source familiar with the case disclosed that the bandits recently demanded that the monarch must bring the ransom in person or risk losing the other abductees.

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The latest attack is not an isolated incident in Kogi State. Kogi State has increasingly emerged as an insecurity hotspot. Its location, linking Nigeria’s north and south through dense forest corridors, has made it attractive to armed groups operating across state boundaries, security officials say. In a similar development on May 20, a Fulani man identified as Bube and one of his cattle rearers were kidnapped at Odo-Eri community in Yagba West Local Government Area. That attack came less than 48 hours after an intelligence alert warned of a possible security threat in the area. Earlier in January 2026, the people of Ayetoro-Kiri community in the same Kabba-Bunu LGA decried persistent bandit attacks, alleging official negligence. According to them, scores of residents were abducted by bandits recently. After painful ransom payment raised through communal contributions, only seven victims were released. The community noted that three of them were already dead, while four others were allegedly battling for their lives in critical conditions at medical facilities. About 30 other innocent citizens remained in captivity, while their fate was uncertain.

Community leaders in Bunuland have repeatedly called for urgent intervention. The stakeholders of Bunuland in Kabba-Bunu local government say that incessant bandit attacks have killed 30 residents and sacked 21 villages, with over 50 residents still under captivity. The president of Bunu Development Association (BDA), Pastor Kokawole Johnson Folorunshon, painted a grim picture of the situation. He said the Bunuland which had been a peaceful agrarian settlement in central Nigeria is currently facing a grave and escalating security and humanitarian crisis. “Our farmers are being attacked on their farms; travellers are abducted on public roads, and women, children and elderly are fleeing their ancestral homes in fear,” he said. “Entire villages are gradually emptying; this is no longer a local problem. It’s a humanitarian emergency and a threat to community survival.” The community leaders noted that residents in settlements like Odo-Ape, Agadalepa, Oniriba, Ayetoro-Kiri, Ole, Ibori-Eni, and Idaka have deserted their villages due to the bandit attacks.

Gunmen Abduct Health Worker, Wife, Others in Kogi Community

Beyond bandit attacks, Kogi State has also witnessed deadly communal clashes. Fresh violence between the Itale and Ishi communities in Ibaji Local Government Area left many feared dead and several houses destroyed in early May 2026. The Kogi State Police Command confirmed only two deaths. Police Commissioner, CP Naziru Kankarofi, said security operatives, including naval personnel, vigilantes, and local security groups, were deployed after a distress call was received on May 6. According to a statement by the police spokesperson, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, security operatives recovered two corpses, rescued an injured victim, and recovered 57 expended cartridges from the scene. The police said several buildings and bags of rice had already been set ablaze before security teams restored calm. Persons of interest have been identified from both communities in connection with the incident. They include Stephen Enema, Isaac Enedubi, and Alex Attah from Itale community, as well as Stephen Amegwu and Shederach Alone from Ishi community.

In response to the growing insecurity, the Kogi State government has launched security operations. Kingsley Fanwo, the state’s commissioner for information, disclosed that about 200 suspected bandits had been killed in an ongoing multi-agency offensive. Several bandit camps were destroyed during coordinated operations. However, efforts to hunt down those who had fled were being hampered as they were using some abducted civilians as human shields. “Security forces have put them in disarray wherever they try to regroup,” Fanwo told the BBC. “The only problem is that the bandits have kidnapped several individuals which they are using as human shields, knowing that the security forces wouldn’t want to kill the hostages along with the bandits.” The offensive follows a recent directive by President Bola Tinubu to top security officials to intensify efforts against bandits, security experts say. Efforts to get the police reaction on the latest Iluke attack were unsuccessful. The Kogi State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Saliu Afuzat Oyiza, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), promised to get back after making enquiries. She had not responded as of press time. Residents continue to live in fear as the search for Dr. Ebi, his wife, and other abductees continues.