Bandits Overrun Yoruba-Speaking LGAs in Kogi as Governor Moves to Restore Order

Communities across Kogi West Senatorial District, the Yoruba-speaking part of Kogi State, are reeling under a wave of deadly attacks by bandits who have turned once peaceful villages into zones of terror. The seven local government areas that make up the district are now under siege, with residents fleeing en masse, farmlands deserted, and rural economies on the brink of collapse.

Villagers say attacks occur almost daily, with gunmen raiding homes, ambushing travellers, and abducting farmers. Many of those who remain live in fear, while deserted communities have become ghost towns. Once-thriving farmlands now serve as hideouts for armed gangs who kidnap, loot, and kill at will.

Dozens of people, including policemen and vigilante members, have been killed in recent months. Investigations reveal that many of the attackers migrated from parts of the North-West and North-Central, taking refuge in the ungoverned forests of Kogi West. The absence of good roads and poor security presence have made it easy for them to operate unchecked.

The Okun Development Association (ODA), representing Yoruba-speaking communities in the state, had earlier raised the alarm over rising insecurity following the abduction of Oba James Dada Ogunyanda, a first-class monarch from Okoloke in Yagba West. ODA President-General, Akenson Rotimi, warned that the region’s socio-economic life was collapsing as farmers and business owners abandoned their livelihoods. He lamented that while security forces were making efforts, the situation demanded stronger community and government action.

Violent attacks have intensified since January. In one shocking incident, an undertaker was killed when bandits ambushed a funeral convoy along the Egbe–Ogbe–Ponyan road. In May, gunmen killed three people in Okoloke, including two vigilantes. A June operation by the Civilian Joint Task Force led to the arrest of 26 suspects, including locals accused of supplying food and water to the attackers.

Bareke community in Yagba West witnessed one of the bloodiest incidents when gunmen invaded at midnight, killing 27 people and burning houses. Survivors recounted how families were massacred as the attackers moved from house to house. The raid occurred near the home of Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West, underscoring the scale of the crisis.

Neighbouring towns like Okunran, Oke-Ere, and Isanlu-Esa have also been repeatedly attacked, forcing residents to flee. Similar incidents in Kabba-Bunu, Mopamuro, and Ijumu have seen highways blocked and travellers kidnapped. In Ijumu, troops recently neutralised a notorious gang leader, Babangida Kachalla, who had terrorised the Lokoja–Kabba corridor.

Locals describe the gangs’ tactics as systematic — night-time raids, road ambushes, and attacks on police checkpoints. Three police officers were killed last month when their checkpoint in Egbe was ambushed. Residents say the poor road network and absence of government presence have made rescue operations almost impossible.

Community leaders blame the worsening insecurity on illegal mining and the indiscriminate settlement of herders over recent years. Thick forests in Kabba-Bunu, Yagba, and Ijumu, rich in mineral deposits, have become operational bases for both miners and bandits.

During a visit to Yagba West after the Bareke massacre, Governor Usman Ododo linked the crisis to illegal mining and vowed to dismantle the criminal networks funding banditry. He announced an immediate ban on all mining activities in Kogi West pending a full audit of licenses, saying criminals had turned mining sites into terror hubs. Ododo warned that anyone caught engaging in illegal mining would face prosecution and confiscation of equipment.

The governor also met with traditional rulers, hunters, and vigilante groups, urging stronger intelligence-sharing to stop further bloodshed. He assured that both the state and federal governments were working to restore order, adding that locals found aiding the gangs would be prosecuted.

Despite these measures, attacks continue across the district. Operations such as *Operation Accord III* have been launched to reclaim the forests, but the gangs remain defiant. Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere, along with political leaders including Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and Senator Karimi, have called on the federal government to urgently intervene before Kogi West becomes another epicentre of banditry.

Residents say they can only hope the latest government measures will bring relief to communities that have endured months of bloodshed, displacement, and despair.