Gunmen raid Kogi palace, snatch prominent royal father

A prominent traditional ruler in Kogi State, Oba James Dada Ogunyanda, has been abducted by gunmen.

The monarch was kidnapped in the early hours of Thursday in Okoloke, a quiet community in the Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.

An eyewitness  said, “Around 2am, a group of heavily armed men invaded the palace, overpowered the guards, and whisked the king away to an unknown destination.”

Spokesperson for the Kogi State Police Command, SP William Aya, said security operatives had launched a joint rescue operation.

“The security architecture has been activated to secure the release of the royal father and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Aya said.

The Chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area, Tosin Olokun, condemned the attack in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Adeyemi Sunday.

“This reprehensible act is a direct assault on our cultural heritage and peaceful way of life. It stands condemned in the strongest terms,” Olokun said.

He attributed the continued attacks on the area to porous borders shared with neighbouring Kwara State, which he said offer easy escape routes for criminal elements.

He added, “Security operatives, in collaboration with local hunters, have launched coordinated operations to rescue the abducted monarch and others held captive.

“Search efforts are ongoing, with intensified surveillance in key areas.

“The local government is working closely with all relevant security agencies to ensure prompt and decisive action.”