Seventeen kidnapped travelers rescued along Lokoja–Obajana Road after swift operation by Nigerian Army and hunters. Gov Ododo vows tougher security.
Kogi State has witnessed a dramatic week of contrasting security developments, with the rescue of 17 kidnapped passengers and the abduction of a traditional ruler underscoring the region’s growing security concerns.
Seventeen passengers abducted along the Lokoja–Obajana Road last Thursday have been rescued following a swift joint operation by the Nigerian Army and local hunters.
The Kogi State Government confirmed the development in a statement signed by Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo.
He explained that security personnel pursued the abductors into the bush, forcing them to abandon their captives.
“All 17 victims have since been taken to medical facilities for examination and care,” Fanwo noted, adding that the operation demonstrated the strength of collaboration between formal security forces and community-based hunters.
While celebrating the rescue, the government also expressed grief over another incident in Yagba West Local Government Area, where some police officers were ambushed and killed by armed assailants.
Fanwo described the fallen men as gallant officers who paid the supreme price in defense of Kogi’s peace.
He said Governor Usman Ododo had condoled with their families and assured that their sacrifice would not be forgotten.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to security, Governor Ododo directed the deployment of personnel and equipment to key flashpoints across the state.
Fanwo urged residents to support security agencies with timely information, stressing that community cooperation remained crucial in defeating criminal gangs.
“The Government of Kogi State will never submit to acts of terror,” he said.
“Together with the support of our people and the commitment of our security agencies, we will overcome those who seek to disrupt the peace of our land.”
Even as the government recorded success with the Lokoja–Obajana rescue, another disturbing development unsettled the state.
IREPORT247NEWS reported earlier in the week that His Royal Highness, David Wada, the second-class traditional ruler and District Head of Bagaji Odo in Omala Local Government Area, was abducted by unidentified gunmen.
The monarch was said to have been returning from a crucial traditional council meeting in Abejukolo, the headquarters of Omala LGA, when his convoy was intercepted at Ojuwo Ugweche around 5 p.m. on Monday, September 1, 2025.
Eyewitnesses narrated that the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, ordered him off the motorcycle he was riding on and whisked him away into the surrounding forest. The motorcycle rider, however, narrowly escaped unhurt.
The Kogi State Police Command confirmed the abduction.
Police spokesperson, SP Williams Aya, revealed that law enforcement agents, supported by local hunters and vigilante groups, had immediately launched a search-and-rescue operation to track down the abductors and recover the monarch safely.
Aya assured residents that the command is committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
He appealed for calm, noting that community collaboration remains a vital component of security operations in the state.