Army Rescues 21 Kidnap Victims in Kogi, Hunt for Others Ongoing

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the rescue of 21 passengers abducted by suspected bandits along the Obajana–Oshokoshoko road in Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations for the 12 Brigade, Lokoja, Lt. Hassan Abdullahi, disclosed this on Saturday while responding to inquiries on the attack.

Suspected bandits had blocked the busy highway around 2.30pm, ambushing several vehicles and forcefully herding passengers into the bush before security operatives arrived.

Reports claim that a commercial 18-seater bus and multiple vehicles ran into the attackers’ barricade.

Lt. Abdullahi said troops, working with vigilantes, hunters and other security agencies, engaged the kidnappers in a heavy exchange of gunfire, leading to the rescue of 21 victims.

He added that operations were still ongoing to free the remaining abductees and arrest the perpetrators.

A relative of one of the victims said his younger brother was travelling from Owo, Ondo State, to Abuja when their vehicle was intercepted a few kilometres from Obajana.

According to him, the kidnappers contacted the family on Friday, demanding ₦40 million ransom.

“I received a call on Friday from my brother’s abductors demanding ₦40 million for his release. He was coming to Lokoja to inform our mother about my traditional wedding scheduled for next Friday,” he said.

Eyewitnesses, according to Daily Trust report listed some of the vehicles attacked as:

Toyota Hiace (7BGT-78LG) – Owo to Abuja

Toyota Sienna (YAB 968 AX) – Osogbo to Kaduna

Toyota Carina (JMU 648 AA) – Lokoja to Kabba

Toyota Hiace (GKP 178 XA) – Abuja to Ekiti

A source added that eight of the rescued passengers belonged to two families, while two drivers, a truck driver and a bus driver, were also freed.

“Two families lost four members each in the incident and all were rescued. Two drivers, a truck driver and a bus driver, were also among those freed,” the source said.

Meanwhile, Kogi State Governor, Usman Ahmed Ododo, has vowed to confront criminal groups head-on, insisting the state will not wait for further attacks.

Speaking during an emergency meeting with security agencies and traditional rulers at the Government House, Lokoja, the governor said intelligence reports indicated that top bandit leaders had relocated to Kogi in recent days.

“The major commandeers of the bandits have relocated to Kogi State for the past three days. We will not wait for them to fight us; we will take the fight to them,” Ododo said.

He stressed that his administration would neither negotiate nor pay ransom, adding that residents would be sensitised to remain vigilant.

“We are not going to bow to the criminals, we are not going to negotiate with them, we are not going to pay ransom, but we are going to sensitise our people to be security conscious of their activities,” he added.