Residents of Odo-Ape in Kogi State are reeling from shock following the late-night abduction of a 76-year-old retired Nigerian Army officer, Major Joe Ajayi (rtd), from his home in the Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area.
The incident, which occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, has intensified local fears about the deteriorating security situation in the region. Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers arrived heavily armed, unleashing a barrage of gunfire that lasted over an hour before taking Ajayi to an undisclosed location.
Ajayi, who once served as the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kabba-Bunu, is said to be in fragile health due to his age, prompting urgent concern from community members who fear for his wellbeing in captivity.
The brazen nature of the kidnapping has reignited calls for action to tackle the alarming wave of abductions in the region. In response to the growing anxiety, the Okun Development Association (ODA) has once again sounded the alarm about insecurity across Okunland.
This incident follows closely on the heels of the kidnapping of a first-class monarch in Okoloke, Yagba West, prompting the ODA to appeal to the federal and Kogi State governments, as well as security agencies, to intervene decisively.
The group had previously warned that the region’s vulnerability to criminal elements was reaching a critical point. The latest kidnapping appears to validate their fears, deepening the sense of unease across affected communities.
Earlier this year, similar tragedies unfolded in the same locality. A council official was abducted from his residence, and shortly thereafter, three adults and a child were kidnapped from a local farm, painting a grim picture of a region under siege.
In another alarming development, gunmen struck again in Okoloke—marking the third attack within a week—abducting four more individuals in the early hours of Tuesday. The victims were seized after the attackers broke into the home of Ezekiel Durojaiye, a well-known retiree and community figure in nearby Okunran.
Residents are now pleading for enhanced security patrols and greater government responsiveness, fearing that without urgent intervention, the trend could spiral further out of control.
