By Dalena Reporters | November 9, 2025
ISANLU, Yagba East LGA – Tensions boiled over this Sunday in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State as residents mounted a protest over alleged bandit-related killings and rampant kidnappings, following the discovery of an elderly, ill woman’s body who had been abducted the previous day.
The demonstration took place in front of the General Hospital in Isanlu, where community members gathered in angry clusters, worst-casing the outcry with burning tyres, chants demanding government action and a blockade of the major Ilafin-Isanlu road.
According to eyewitnesses, the victim — described as frail and already unwell — was accosted during a raid in Ilafin-Isanlu on Saturday. She was then forced through forest terrain by her abductors, but reportedly died after failing to keep pace with them.
Residents expressed deep frustration at the state of security in the area, especially as Yagba East and Yagba West LGAs have repeatedly been targeted in a string of kidnappings and armed-robbery incidents. Many blame porous borders with neighbouring Kwara State and inadequate security presence for the surge.
Chanting slogans such as “We are tired of dying quietly” and “Where are the troops you promised us?”, the protesters called on both state and federal authorities for immediate intervention. Roadblocks and burning tyres were used as leverage to draw attention to the crisis.
The protest follows a pattern of escalating violence in the region. Yagba West LGA alone recently recorded a mass attack in which 27 people were killed by suspected bandits.
The general sense of insecurity, lack of trust in local protection, and fear of further attacks has left many residents feeling vulnerable and unsupported.
What the Authorities Must Address
Local leaders and residents are demanding:
- Increased deployment of security personnel in affected border areas;
- Effective patrols and rapid-response units to intercept bandits exploiting forest routes;
- Community-police liaison mechanisms to improve intelligence and engagement;
- Transparent communication from state authorities about available protection resources and response plans.
As the protest drew to a close late Sunday evening, no concrete response had yet been issued by the state government or security agencies. Analysts say that unless immediate remedial steps are taken, frustration could deepen and further destabilise lives and livelihoods in Yagba East and neighbouring LGAs.
Dalena Reporters — Security & Governance Desk
Continuing coverage of Nigeria’s evolving security challenges in rural communities.