Deborah Akinyosoye
The Kogi State Government has confirmed the abduction of 13 worshippers following an attack by suspected bandits on an ECWA church in Ayetoro Kiri community, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, on Sunday.
The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed on Monday that local hunters engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle, resulting in the neutralization of four assailants, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds.
Fanwo attributed the attack to the displacement of criminal elements from neighboring Niger and Kwara States. He explained that while the state has deployed a coordinated security architecture, the affected area still requires additional reinforcement.
“The kidnapped individuals are being tracked by hunters and security operatives within the forest, and we are hopeful for their safe rescue,” the commissioner said.
Troops from the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, personnel of the Kogi State Police Command, and the Department of State Services (DSS) have been deployed to the community to contain the situation. Fanwo also appealed for air support from the Nigerian Air Force to complement ongoing ground operations.
Commending the courage and patriotism of the local hunters, the commissioner reassured residents that the government remains firmly in control. “We are steadily winning the battle against criminal elements. Their movements have been restricted, and the state is tightening security around soft targets like churches,” he added.
Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo is actively engaging service chiefs to ensure coordinated air and ground operations to safeguard lives and property in the state.