Fear grips Kogi community as bandits deploy chemical substances to sedate victims before abductions

Residents of Egbe town in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State are living in fear following reports that bandits have adopted a disturbing new method in their operations spraying chemical substances in homes to sedate victims before abducting them.

Local security operatives confirmed that the community was hit by two separate attacks in the early hours of Monday, November 24, 2025. The incidents have triggered urgent warnings and increased calls for vigilance among residents.

According to security sources, the first attack led to the kidnapping of two residents. Another individual narrowly escaped after managing to send a distress message to local security volunteers. However, by the time responders arrived, the attackers had already fled into the surrounding bush with their captives.

Eyewitnesses said the bandits targeted the home of a staff member of ECWA Hospital in Odorum around 11 pm, jumping the perimeter fence and spending over 90 minutes inside the compound while spraying a chemical substance described as similar to “turari,” which caused sudden weakness in anyone who inhaled it.

The resident, who was not in his usual room, regained enough strength to alert security forces, allowing vigilantes to fire warning shots and force the intruders to flee, rescuing the victim.

Later in the day, another abduction attempt near Baba Labourer/Government Secondary School was thwarted by Egbe vigilante operatives, with no one taken.

The use of chemicals to incapacitate victims has heightened fear across the community, with residents warning that bandits are becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous.

Local residents commended Egbe’s vigilante groups for their resilience, bravery, and rapid response, noting that their courage remains critical in preventing further tragedies in Yagba West.

Authorities are still assessing the situation, but early indications suggest there were no casualties, and the local security outfit successfully defended the area.

Communities in Yagba East and Yagba West, particularly those bordering Kwara State, have experienced a disturbing rise in armed attacks, kidnappings, and other violent crimes in recent months, including the abduction of a timber supplier and one of his workers in Okoloke last Tuesday.