Communities across Kogi East Senatorial District are grappling with growing anxiety following reports of unusual movements and new settlements by unidentified groups in forested and farming areas.
Residents in several local government areas—including Ofu, Dekina, Idah and Igalamela—say they have observed the arrival of unfamiliar groups in significant numbers, some of whom are alleged to be armed. The situation has sparked unease among farming communities already preparing for the peak agricultural season.
In Igala-Ogba district of Ofu LGA, particularly around Alloma, locals report that new settlements have emerged in forest corridors linking Okula Alloma and Ewune. Farmers say the developments are beginning to strain access to farmland and water sources, raising concerns about potential resource-based conflict.
Similar accounts have emerged from Ofakaga in Ugwolawo district, where residents say unidentified individuals have been sighted in surrounding communities such as Alade and Ojuwoajonuchegbo. Some locals claim that a number of the newcomers are not accompanied by livestock or identifiable family structures, deepening uncertainty about their purpose.
In parts of Dekina LGA—including Egume, Ochaja, Ukwaja and Ogbulu—community members also report what they describe as “unregulated settlements” in rural and forest areas. Comparable concerns have been echoed in Idah and Odolu/Igalamela axis, where residents say new groups have taken up positions in remote locations.
The Kogi East Neighborhood Watch (KENW), a local security support network, said it has received multiple alerts from residents and community leaders. It warned that the situation could heighten existing vulnerabilities in rural areas where security presence is limited.
According to the group, fear is growing among farmers who now feel uncertain about accessing their farmlands freely during the current planting season. It described the trend as a “developing rural security challenge” that requires coordinated attention from authorities.
KENW has called for immediate engagement by the Kogi State Government, security agencies, local government authorities and traditional institutions. It urged that any new settlements in affected areas be properly investigated to determine identity, intent and legality, in order to prevent escalation.
The group also appealed for stronger community policing measures and closer monitoring of forest routes, which it says have become increasingly difficult to supervise due to their terrain and scale.
The concerns come amid separate incidents of violence reported in the region. A traditional ruler, the Iye Ebule of Igo Ward in Ofu LGA, was abducted by unidentified gunmen last week. On the same day, a farmer was reportedly killed while traveling to his farm between Avrugo and Odolu.
While authorities have yet to issue a comprehensive public assessment of the situation, community leaders say the overlapping incidents have intensified calls for early intervention to prevent further deterioration of security conditions in Kogi East.
Rising Rural Anxiety in Kogi East as Unidentified Groups Trigger Security Concerns
