Kogi Bandits kidnap 9, Kill 1, as Children Drown Fleeing Village Attacks, Communities Deserted

The Buge village in Kakanda Ward, Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State has come under intense assault, as heavily armed gunmen launched two violent attacks within four days leaving one person dead, two injured, and nine others kidnapped.

Local sources disclosed to newsmen that the first incident occurred on April 25, 2025, when four villagers were seized.

The situation worsened on April 28, as the assailants returned, abducted five more, shot two, and fatally gunned down another in a brutal daytime raid.

In the aftermath of the second assault, multiple children tragically drowned while attempting to escape across a nearby river, plunging the community into deeper grief.

Sources close to the situation suggest the attacks may have been sparked by the capture of a Fulani man caught in disguise, reportedly wearing a dress linked to an earlier kidnapping victim.

He was handed over to local authorities at the Budan Emir’s palace. The kidnappers allegedly issued threats demanding his release threats the community refused to bow to. What followed was carnage.

Now, fear has spread beyond Buge to neighboring villages including Budon Tsofo and Tsanawa, where similar threats have emerged. Many families are abandoning their homes and farmlands, calling the wave of violence “a creeping invasion.”

Eyewitnesses report the attackers operate fearlessly in daylight, typically arriving between 4pm and 5pm on motorcycles, shooting without challenge.