Bandits kidnap five wedding guests in Kogi, injure one

Despite the ongoing onslaught against banditry and terrorism by the US government in Nigeria, bandits on Friday struck at Ogbe in Kogi State, kidnapping five and injuring one along the Ogbe–Egbe axis.

The attack, which occurred at the boundary between Ogbe and Koro communities, reportedly targeted residents travelling to Egbe to attend the wedding ceremony of an Ogbe indigene resident in Egbe.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the victims were en route to the ceremony when they were ambushed by armed men suspected to be bandits.

The assailants reportedly opened fire on the travellers, shooting one person, while others attempted to flee for safety.

“One person was shot during the attack and has been rushed to a hospital. Five others were abducted and taken into the bush,” a resident said

The identity of the injured victim and the abducted persons had yet to be officially confirmed as of the time of filing this report.

Following the attack, residents of Ogbe, Egbe and surrounding communities expressed renewed fears over what they described as worsening insecurity on rural roads in the area.

Community members lamented that the Ogbe–Egbe axis has increasingly become unsafe, especially for travellers attending social events or commuting between villages.

Residents have called on security agencies and the Kogi State Government to urgently beef up patrols along the road to prevent further attacks and restore confidence among commuters.

They also urged authorities to carry out sustained operations in nearby forests where the attackers were believed to have escaped after the assault.

In its efforts to combat insecurity, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) recently confirmed the arrest of two notorious bandits and kidnapping kingpins responsible for violent crimes across Katsina, Zamfara, Niger and Kwara States, Force PRO, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin said on Friday.