Gunmen kidnapped nine people on Friday, including a woman and her three children, from Inele-Ugoh, a village in the Igah Ikeje community, Olamaboro Local Government Area, Kogi State.
According to reports, more than 40 armed men stormed the village early Friday morning.
The mother and her three children were reportedly on their way to another community for a burial when the gunmen apprehended them and led them into the jungle.
Five more people were reportedly kidnapped from their fields during the incident.
According to an eyewitness, the number of attackers and the weaponry they carried intimidated local vigilante members into not fighting them.
Following the attack, the village reportedly transmitted distress calls to troops from the Nigerian Army’s 12 Brigade stationed at a checkpoint in the vicinity.
However, when the soldiers arrived, the gunmen had already retreated into the jungle.
Although troops and vigilantes have begun exploring the nearby woodlands for the victims, villagers are concerned that without aerial surveillance, the abductors will be difficult to discover.
According to a neighborhood police source, the criminal cell works in huge numbers and frequently relocates its hostages.
“These bandits move in large groups, sometimes up to 200, and often split into smaller units. They do not stay in one location but keep moving their captives from one place to another.
“Ground troops alone may not succeed without aerial support. Drones or police helicopters from Lokoja are needed to flush them out. We will not enjoy Christmas if these criminals remain in our forests,” the source said.
Members of the Kogi East Neighbourhood Watch also reported that kidnappers have intensified their activities in Olamaboro communities recently.
The gunmen are clearly infiltrating the area from neighboring states. They operate in large numbers and are heavily armed,” a member of the group said.
Another eyewitness described the attackers as audacious and desperate, operating both day and night.
“We need more security deployment and aerial surveillance by both the state and federal governments to curb the menace of these criminals,” the resident added.
