Armed men abducted Arome Adaji, an All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader in Kogi State known as Iron Gate, along with his wife Justina, from their residence in Abocho, Dekina Local Government Area, on Wednesday night. The attack occurred at approximately 8 p.m. along Ajegwuna Road, with gunmen firing shots to scatter neighbours before seizing the couple and leaving unhindered.
Community Shifts From Roads to Homes
A resident who gave his name as Ndamodu told Daily Trust that the couple were inside their home when the shooting began. He said neighbours only came out after the assailants had left, discovering that Mr and Mrs Adaji had been taken.
Community leader Surveyor Eneogba said the trend of targeting homes, farms, and farm settlements across Kogi East has grown considerably. He attributed the shift to increased security pressure on roads from security operatives, vigilante groups, and local hunters, which has pushed armed gangs toward residential areas and agricultural communities.
Recent Abductions in Kogi State
The abduction is not an isolated event. In recent weeks, gunmen reportedly seized a woman and her four children as they returned from a burial ceremony in the same region. The family was freed only after a ransom was paid.
The incident also follows the reported kidnapping and subsequent death of Rosemary Adukwu, a councillor representing Ogugu Ward III in Olamaboro Local Government Area. Ms Adukwu was abducted on 30 September while travelling to Onitsha, with gunmen intercepting the commercial vehicle she was in near the Oji River axis, around the Enugu-Anambra boundary. Olamaboro Local Government Chairman Ameh Williams later confirmed that she had died while in captivity.
Police Response
When contacted for a response regarding the abduction of Mr Adaji and his wife, the Kogi State Police Command spokesperson, Saliu Oyiza Afusat, replied only with the word “Noted,” offering no further information.
Legit.ng earlier reported that gunmen shot and killed APC Chairman Ishaq Yunusa along the Itobe-Ochadamu Expressway in Kogi State on Thursday. Armed attackers emerged from the surrounding bush and opened fire on motorists at about 5 p.m., leaving a vehicle abandoned on the highway. Kogi State Police confirmed the attack and launched joint security operations to rescue the abducted victim and track down the assailants.
