Kogi Kidnap: Three Feared Dead, Four Hospitalised, 30 Still in Captivity After N15m Ransom

Residents of Ayetoro-Kiri community in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State have been thrown into deep mourning following the death of three out of the 37 worshippers abducted from an ECWA church on December 14, 2025.

The Bunu axis of the local government has for years suffered persistent bandit attacks and worsening insecurity, leaving residents exposed to repeated assaults and kidnappings.
Confirming the tragic development on Saturday, the community’s spokesperson, David Ampitan, said that after painful efforts to raise ransom through communal contributions, only seven of the abducted victims were released by the kidnappers.
According to him, three of the seven victims were already dead upon arrival, while four others were rushed to medical facilities where they are currently battling for survival in critical condition. He added that about 30 innocent residents are still being held in captivity, with their fate unknown.
Ampitan described the situation as a stark reflection of the total collapse of security governance in the area, lamenting that instead of prioritising the protection of vulnerable communities or pursuing the perpetrators, the Kogi State Government allegedly responded by clamping down on peaceful protesters.
He alleged that the chairman of Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, Zaccheus Dare Micheal, ordered the tear-gassing and arrest of residents who staged peaceful protests to demand improved security, justice, and the rescue of their loved ones.
“It is both ironic and unacceptable that a government entrusted with the protection of lives and property would choose to criminalise peaceful protest, while bandits continue to operate freely—killing, kidnapping, and terrorising law-abiding citizens,” he said.
Ampitan noted that the people of Bunu land are weary of repeatedly burying loved ones, selling personal properties, and contributing scarce resources to pay ransoms, all while living in constant fear and perceiving indifference from those in authority.
He made an urgent appeal to the Federal Government, security agencies, and relevant authorities to intervene decisively in Ayetoro-Kiri community and the entire Bunu district to rescue those still in captivity, restore security, and hold accountable any officials who enable or ignore the unfolding humanitarian tragedy.
“The lives of the Bunu people matter. Enough is sincerely enough,” he stressed.
In a related development, the chairman of the council, Zaccheus Dare Micheal, reportedly ordered the arrest of protesters who gathered peacefully in Kabba, the headquarters of the local government area.
Sources said the protesters had assembled along the Kabba–Lokoja road on Friday to express their frustration over the rising wave of bandit attacks in the area. However, the protest was dispersed with tear gas, and some participants were arrested.
The chairman had reportedly warned last year that he would not allow street protests over insecurity, a stance that has continued to draw criticism from residents.
Micheal, who is currently serving his first term as chairman, recently secured the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest for re-election in the forthcoming local government council polls scheduled for October this year.