Bandits Kill NSCDC Officer, Abduct Daughter In Kogi

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have reportedly killed a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ayo Olukotun, and abducted his daughter during an attack on Odo-Ere, headquarters of Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Several other residents were also reportedly taken away by the attackers during the invasion, which occurred around 8:30pm on Monday.

Residents said the gunmen stormed the community and began shooting sporadically, forcing many people to flee their homes in panic.

Amid the confusion, the attackers were said to have moved to the residence of the NSCDC officer, where they shot him before abducting his daughter and other victims into a nearby forest.

A community source said Olukotun was rushed to a hospital shortly after the attack, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.

“Olukotun was taken to the hospital immediately after the incident, but sadly, he was confirmed dead on arrival. His remains have since been deposited in a mortuary,” Daily Trust quoted the source as saying.

The incident has thrown the Odo-Ere community into mourning, with residents expressing fear over the activities of criminal gangs in parts of the local government area.

The Chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area, Hon. Tosin Olokun, condemned the attack, describing it as unfortunate and heartbreaking.

Olokun, who is also the Chairman of the Kogi State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, said the death of the NSCDC officer was a painful loss to his family, the Odo-Ere community and the entire local government area.

“We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident. On behalf of the government and people of Yagba West, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr. Ayo Olukotun, the people of Odo-Ere and all those affected by this attack,” he said.

The council chairman, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Adeyemi Babarinde, urged residents to remain vigilant.

He also appealed to them to provide security agencies with credible information that could help ongoing efforts to combat criminal activities in the area.

The member representing Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopamuro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Leke Joseph Abejide, also condemned the attack.

Abejide described the incident as tragic and barbaric, saying it was another painful reminder of the security challenges confronting communities across the country.

“The news of the killing of Mr. Ayo and the abduction of his daughter came to me with profound sadness. This is a painful moment for the people of Odo-Ere, Yagba West and Kogi State as a whole,” Abejide said in a statement.

The lawmaker called on the Kogi State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the immediate release of the abducted victims, particularly the daughter of the slain officer.

Meanwhile, residents of the community have urged security agencies to deploy the advanced surveillance drones recently unveiled by the state government to monitor vulnerable communities and forest corridors.

They said the drones should be used to improve intelligence gathering and support rapid response to banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.

A resident, identified as Ayobami, said technology should be deployed to prevent further attacks on communities in Yagba West.

“The government and security agencies should leverage technology-driven security infrastructure to prevent further attacks and improve the protection of lives and property in Yagba West,” he said.

However, the Kogi police command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report, Naija News understands.