The abduction of four family members in Zango community, Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, has underscored growing anxieties about the safety of women and children in the region, against a backdrop of escalating kidnappings and attacks across the state.
Gunmen suspected to be bandits struck Zone 12 of the peri-urban community at midnight, seizing members of a household and leaving neighbours traumatised. While two of the victims—an elderly woman and a two-year-old child—were found abandoned in nearby bushes after security intervened, two others remain missing. Residents said the attack left women and children in the area fearful of leaving their homes at night.
The Zango incident comes amid a series of high-profile abductions in Kogi State over recent months, signalling a widening footprint of criminal gangs beyond rural enclave hotspots. In mid-December 2025, armed men reportedly abducted 13 worshippers from an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) service in Aiyetoro Kiri, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, after opening fire during Sunday worship. Five attackers were reportedly killed in a clash with local hunters and security forces during the incident. �
Africanews
Such church attacks are part of a broader pattern. In early December, a pastor, his wife and several other worshippers were also kidnapped during a service in Ejiba, Yagba West LGA—highlighting a trend of raids on soft targets where families, including women and children, congregate.
Beyond church abductions, daytime kidnappings have also been reported. On January 10, gunmen were said to have abducted a commuter along Egbe–Okoloke Road in Yagba West, further stoking fears among vulnerable travellers and roadside families.
State authorities say they are intensifying operations against criminal elements.
The Kogi Government has reiterated its commitment to tracking down kidnappers and securing the release of victims, describing ongoing security efforts as part of a broader crackdown on crime.
Nonetheless, residents in peri-urban and rural communities remain on edge. Many women interviewed in Zango and other affected areas told The Guardian they are increasingly reluctant to travel after dusk, especially with children, as abductions and raids become more frequent. Analysts say the pattern reflects both the mobility of armed gangs and gaps in security coverage outside major urban centres.
With attacks spanning houses of worship, highways and family compounds, experts argue that women and children are disproportionately impacted—not only as direct targets, but as members of households whose mobility and economic security are eroded by persistent insecurity.
Kogi: Abduction of Four family members Highlights Rising Insecurity Trends
