Gunmen on Friday abducted nine persons, including a woman and her three children, in Inele-Ugoh, a village in Igah Ikeje community, Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The attack was said to have occurred in the early hours of Friday when over 40 armed men reportedly invaded the community.
It was gathered that the woman and her children were on their way to attend a burial in a neighbouring community when they were intercepted by the gunmen and taken into the forest.
Five other victims were also said to have been abducted from their farms during the invasion.
An eyewitness said the large number of the attackers and the sophistication of their weapons forced local vigilante members to withdraw, preventing any confrontation.
Following the incident, residents reportedly sent distress calls to troops of the Nigerian Army attached to the 12 Brigade, stationed at a checkpoint in the area.
However, it was learnt that the soldiers arrived after the attackers had escaped into the forest.
Although troops and local vigilantes have commenced a search of nearby forests, residents expressed concern that the absence of aerial surveillance could hamper efforts to locate the abductors.
A community police source said the criminal group operates in large numbers and frequently relocates their captives.
“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 raised concerns over a surge in kidnapping incidents in communities within Olamaboro LGA.
“The gunmen are clearly infiltrating the area from neighbouring states. They operate in large numbers and are heavily armed,” a member of the group said.
Another resident described the attackers as daring and relentless, noting that they carry out operations both during the day and at 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.
Efforts to obtain confirmation from the Kogi State Police Command proved unsuccessful, as calls to the command’s spokesperson were not answered as of the time of filing this report.