By Richard Elesho
Christmas and New Year festivals are among the most popular celebrations in Okunland. Every year, irrespective of religion, Okun sons and daughters return home from their various endeavours across the country and abroad to observe the yuletide with their kith and kin. It is usually a season to renew old ties and enjoy the vitality of the ancestral homeland. Needless to say, people looked forward to the season with anticipation and nostalgia.
That was before.
This year’s yuletide threatens to be different, primarily due to worsening security concerns. Killings, kidnappings, and banditry have become the order of the day, courtesy of rampaging terrorists. Fear and trauma are visible in the eyes of residents. The Okun people, most of whom are Christians, have suffered untold security violations in recent months, forcing an unappealing lifestyle on the population. Getting home has become a major challenge. Free movement, partying, meetings, and other activities that usually bring people together are now discouraged.
Things have degenerated to the point that the paramount ruler of Kabba and Chairman of the Okun Traditional Council of Chiefs, Oba Solomon Owoniyi, issued an advisory to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), suspending all church activities in Kabba-Bunu, one of the five local governments in the Kogi West Senatorial District.
The list of victims continues to grow. It began with a retired Nigerian Army major and pastor, 76-year-old Pa Joe Ajayi, who was abducted from his home in Odo-Ape on May 21 and later found murdered by bandits on June 8, after they had collected a ₦10 million ransom. This was followed by the abduction of a nonagenarian monarch, His Royal Highness Oba James Dada Ogunyanda Ilufemiloye, the Obalokun of Okoloke. He was whisked away in the early hours of Thursday, May 15, and remained in captivity until the second week of June.
Within a week of Oba Ogunyanda’s release, hoodlums abducted Chief Sam Ajayi Bello, a 73-year-old commercial farmer, from his farm in Ponyan, Yagba East. One person was fatally wounded during the assault that left Bello in captivity for about a month. He was released on July 10 after several millions of naira were paid to his captors.
The following events signalled a bleak festive season across Okunland.
Kidnappings, Killings, and Protests
On Sunday, November 9, 2025, residents of Isanlu, headquarters of Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State, woke up to a gory spectacle. The lifeless body of Mrs Elizabeth Olorunsola—fondly called Momo Eli—was discovered along a bush path. A rescue team had been mounted after the elderly woman, who could barely walk due to paralysis, was abducted from her Ilafin residence the previous evening by gunmen. At least three other people were seriously wounded during the attack.
The brutal murder sparked a protest in Isanlu. Youths in the otherwise religious community shunned church services that morning. Instead, they mobilised, seized the Isanlu–Ilorin highway, and erected a barricade near the General Hospital. In large numbers, they disrupted traffic, chanted anti-government slogans, and called on authorities at all levels to strengthen security.
“We are begging the government at all levels to come and help us. What is happening is beyond our power. Fulani and Bororo are kidnapping and killing our people every time. This is too much… Please deliver us from Bororo,” one protester said in the Iyagba language.
Momo Eli’s abduction was not an isolated incident. About a month earlier, on Thursday, October 15, gunmen had stormed Ilafin village and abducted Mrs Omolayo Jacob, popularly known as Iyawo Agbede, a well-known trader. The four gunmen demanded a heavy ransom for her release.
Five days later, on October 21, bandits struck nearby Idofin, abducting Pa Tuesday Moses Omokore, a trader and zonal education inspector, along with his wife. The abductors demanded ₦100 million, rejecting an offer of ₦40 million. The couple was eventually released in early December after about six weeks in captivity, with details of the ransom undisclosed.
Rumours circulated that a previous victim may have been forced to supply names of prospective targets. It was alleged that the bandits operated with a list of ten individuals marked for abduction. Momo Eli’s fate appeared to confirm the fears.
An attempt to stage another protest on Wednesday, December 3, ended in tragedy when security operatives mistakenly shot dead two protesters. The youths were protesting the killing of two vigilantes in Irunda-Ile earlier that day. A confrontation with law enforcement officers degenerated, leading to the fatal shootings. It was a black Wednesday for Isanlu as grief engulfed the town.
A Diary of Attacks
Fear has become a way of life. From Obajana in Lokoja LGA through Kabba-Bunu-Ijumu and the bleeding Yagba axis, thousands of itinerant bandits have settled in forests, launching sustained attacks on communities and highways.
The abduction of six federal directors underscored the severity of the crisis. The officials, staff of Command Day Secondary School, Ojoo, were kidnapped on Monday, November 10, 2025, while travelling from Lagos to Abuja for a promotion examination.
The Association of Senior Staff of the Civil Service of Nigeria (ASCSN), Ministry of Defence chapter, condemned the abduction. The victims were identified as Mrs Ngozi Ibeziakor, Mrs C. Emeribe, Mrs Helen Ezeakor, Mrs C. Ladoye, Mrs J. Onwuzurike, and Mrs Catherine Essien. Their captors demanded ₦150 million. Four were later released, while two remained in captivity.
Terror in the House of God
On Tuesday, November 18, terrorists attacked Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku, Kwara State, killing three worshippers and abducting 35 others. The victims were holding a thanksgiving service for the release of 16 previously kidnapped persons when the attackers struck.
Similarly, on November 30, bandits attacked the New Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West, abducting 14 worshippers, including the priest, Pa Orlando, and his wife. They demanded ₦500 million, later reduced to ₦200 million.
Two weeks later, on Sunday, December 14, terrorists attacked ECWA Church, Aiyetoro-Kiri, killing one worshipper and abducting between 13 and 40 others.
Political and Economic Exploitation
Accusations have been levelled against political and economic interests accused of exploiting Okunland. Illegal mining, land grabs, and the influx of armed migrants are cited as contributing factors.
An elder from Yagba West reportedly said:
“The mining sites are not run by our people. Some Chinese hold them for powerful Kogi politicians. They have the machines; we have the suffering.”
Government Talks Tough
Governor Usman Ododo has acknowledged the crisis, announcing bans on gatherings and unveiling arms seizures from criminal hideouts. However, questions remain over enforcement, arrests, and long-term solutions.
For now, Okunland bleeds.
The question on many lips remains: when will peace return to these peace-loving people?
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