A wave of insecurity continues to unsettle parts of Kogi State, as unidentified gunmen have reportedly abducted 76-year-old retired Nigerian Army Major Joe Ajayi from his home in Odo-Ape, located in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area.
Ajayi, who once served as the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the Kabba-Bunu chapter, was taken at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday. According to a local witness, the armed men arrived in the community and unleashed heavy gunfire for over an hour before seizing the elderly veteran and taking him to an undisclosed location.
The incident has sparked serious concern among residents, particularly over Ajayi’s fragile health and the potential complications that may arise from his abduction, given his advanced age. Anxiety and fear now grip the community, as calls for enhanced security intensify across the region.
This troubling development follows a pattern of rising insecurity in the state, particularly within Okunland in Kogi’s North-Central zone. Just recently, the Okun Development Association (ODA) raised alarms over escalating criminal activities in the area. The group had condemned the earlier abduction of a traditional ruler in Okoloke, located in Yagba West Local Government Area, and urged swift intervention from both federal and state governments, as well as security operatives.
The abduction of Ajayi adds weight to the ODA’s warnings, plunging the community into deeper uncertainty. Earlier this year, a local council member was abducted from his home, followed days later by the kidnapping of three adults and a child from a nearby farm — a series of events that underscore the persistent threat facing the area.
In a related development, Okoloke has suffered a third attack within a single week. Armed men again descended on the agrarian community in the early hours of Tuesday and kidnapped four individuals. According to sources, the assailants forcibly entered the home of Ezekiel Durojaiye, a retired public servant and respected figure in the neighboring village of Okunran.
These repeated incidents of violence continue to strain the sense of security in Kogi’s rural communities, prompting renewed appeals for urgent and comprehensive action to protect lives and restore peace.
