Tension has risen in Okoloke, a community in the Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, following the brutal killing of three individuals by gunmen suspected to be bandits.
The assailants are also holding a traditional ruler, Pa Dada James Ogunyanda, captive.
The monarch, who is a graded chief in the region, was abducted from his palace in the early hours of Thursday.
On Saturday, the bandits escalated their violent actions, killing two local vigilantes and a telecommunications worker who was inspecting a mast in the area.
According to sources in the community, the bandits initially demanded ₦100 million for the release of the elderly monarch.
However, following negotiations, the ransom demand was reduced to ₦12 million.
It was reported that the kidnappers were informed of the monarch’s fragile health and his need for regular medication.
As a result, they instructed the community to send his drugs to a designated location for delivery to him.
Tragically, before any action could be taken, the gunmen struck again, killing the three victims on Saturday morning.
The vigilantes were reportedly accompanying the telecommunications staff when they encountered the assailants in the bush, who opened fire immediately.
A resident of the community, Olusegun Iselaye, expressed his heartbreak and outrage at the government’s failure to act.
He took to Facebook to condemn the continuous inaction on security in the region, writing: “We are heartbroken and outraged to report that just days after the kidnapping of our traditional ruler in Okoloke village, Yagba West, we have now lost three more innocent lives to bandit attacks in the very same community.”
“This senseless violence is unacceptable and underscores the urgent need for effective security measures.”
Iselaye also criticized the lack of visible police presence in Okoloke, further emphasizing the failure of security operations: “While we appreciate the efforts of Senator Karimi and his Kwara counterpart in raising the issue of insecurity in our region at the National Assembly just days ago, the continued inaction on the ground is deeply concerning.”
He also voiced frustration over the presence of soldiers, which he claimed had not improved security but instead contributed to extortion and harassment.
“The situation is dire. We urgently call on the Kogi State Government to recognise the gravity of this escalating crisis.”
In response to the killings, Tosin Olokun, the Chairman of Yagba West LGA, visited the community to offer condolences and reassure residents that efforts were underway to secure the monarch’s release and curb the rising tide of banditry.
However, the Kogi State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement regarding the recent incident at the time of this report.
