Suspected gunmen on Thursday invaded Iluke, an ancient town in the Bunu district of Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, abducting an unspecified number of residents and heightening fears over worsening insecurity in the area.
The attackers reportedly stormed the Okebukun area of the community at about 1 a.m., where they kidnapped a community health worker popularly known as “Dr. Ebi” and his wife.
Sources said the gunmen arrived on motorcycles and whisked the victims away after raiding the health worker’s private clinic. Residents alleged that the assailants fired several gunshots into the air as they fled the town, throwing the community into panic.
The latest attack also sparked fear in neighbouring communities in Mopamuro and Ijumu local government areas, where residents reportedly woke up to news of the abduction.
The Bunu district has witnessed repeated security breaches in recent months.
On May 4, armed men reportedly blocked the Iluke-Oferre road and opened fire indiscriminately, causing motorists and commuters to flee. A commercial driver identified simply as Jacob was said to have been seized by the attackers after he unknowingly drove into the ambush.
Family sources disclosed that the kidnappers later contacted his relatives and demanded a ransom of N50 million for his release.
In another incident on April 16, gunmen abducted two wives, two children, and an aide of “Prof. Wonder,” the traditional ruler of the Odai community, located near Iluke.
The kidnappers reportedly demanded N150 million ransom and allegedly killed two of the monarch’s children after negotiations stalled. Sources claimed images of the killings were later circulated on social media.
The monarch was said to have fallen ill and was hospitalised following the incident, while the remaining abductees are reportedly still being held captive.
A source familiar with the matter disclosed that the abductors recently insisted that the traditional ruler must personally deliver the ransom or risk losing the remaining victims.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Kogi State Police Command, ASP Saliu Afuzat Oyiza, said she would make enquiries and respond but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
