Residents of Okunran in Yagba West, Kogi State, flee their homes as bandit attacks turn the once-vibrant community into a ghost town.
Bandits have driven hundreds from Okunran, leaving deserted streets, abandoned homes, and shuttered shops in their wake.
The terror escalated after armed groups stormed an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) service in nearby Aiyetoro Kiri, Bunu area, in mid-December 2025.
Gunmen killed at least one person and abducted over 30 worshippers, including children and elderly members.
Families negotiated directly with the captors and paid ransoms to free 17 victims by early January, without meaningful government intervention.
Fear spread rapidly across Yagba West.
Similar raids struck along Egbe-Okoloke Road, where bandits kidnapped a resident named Lanlege on January 9.
In Egbe, they collected over N1 million ransom, a motorcycle, and a phone from a man named Agba—then killed him anyway.
Residents report no safe farming or travel; many avoid fields entirely.
Security forces respond with operations.
Troops from the 12 Brigade neutralized bandits, dismantled camps, and arrested logistics suppliers like Sunday Adedotun in early January.
Police and military launch air-supported patrols in Kogi forests, claiming scores of bandits killed.
Yet attacks persist, and communities bear the burden.
Locals blame porous borders with Kwara and Niger states, where pressure on bandits pushes them into Kogi.
They demand stronger military presence, better intelligence, and decisive action to halt the cycle of violence.
Okunran stands empty today—a stark warning of unchecked insecurity in Nigeria’s heartland.
Families wait in safer towns, hoping for peace to return so they can reclaim their lives.
