Kogi: Three killed as gunmen demand N12m for abducted monarch

The gunmen rampaging the Okoloke community in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi on Saturday killed three persons and set difficult conditions for the release of Pa. Dada James Ogunyanda, the traditional ruler who was abducted from his palace on Thursday morning.

Those killed on Saturday in Okoloke community include two vigilantes who escorted the third victim, a staff member of a telecommunications company mobile to the company’s telecommunications mast.

It was gathered that the bandits who abducted the traditional ruler and had earlier requested N100m ransom in their first contact, have now reduced the money to N12 million.

A source familiar with the story explained that in the course of negotiations, the bandits were told that their nonagenarian captive was on medication for a certain ailment failure of which may jeopardise his health.

The hoodlums allegedly advised that his drugs should be packaged and delivered at a particular location for onward delivery to him.

The community had yet to meet the conditions when the bandits launched a fresh attack, killing three persons, including two vigilantes who escorted the third victim, a staff member of Glo Mobile, to the company’s telecommunications mast.

They encountered the gunmen, who immediately opened fire on them in the bush.

A resident of the area, Olusegun Iselaye, in a pensive delivery, broke the news of the killings on his Facebook page on Saturday. He also decried the lack of decisive action on insecurity in the area by government.

“We are heartbroken and outraged to report that just days after the kidnapping of our traditional ruler in Okoloke village, Yagba West, we have now lost three more innocent lives to bandit attacks in the very same community.

“This senseless violence is unacceptable and underscores the urgent need for effective security measures.

“While we appreciate the efforts of Senator Karimi and his Kwara counterpart in raising the issue of insecurity in our region at the National Assembly just days ago, the continued inaction on the ground is deeply concerning.

“As of the last update, there has been no visible police presence or action in Okoloke, allowing these horrific killings to occur. This lack of response is a clear failure and further traumatises our already fearful communities.

“This tragedy in Okoloke further highlights the critical flaws in the current security strategy in Yagba West. As we stated previously, the presence of soldiers has not brought the desired security and has instead led to deeply troubling issues, including extortion and harassment of our people.

“The situation is dire. We urgently call on the Kogi State Government to recognise the gravity of this escalating crisis. The continued reliance on the current military deployment is clearly not working and has even created additional problems.

The chairman of the council area, Tosin Olokun, has reportedly visited the community, assuring them of the efforts to rescue the 1st class monarch and also bring the tide of bandit attacks in the community to a stop.