Youths Block Highway in Kogi Community to Protest Rising Insecurity

Residents of Egbe in Yagba West Local Government Area, Kogi State, staged a protest on Wednesday, blocking the federal highway to demand urgent action from security agencies and the government over worsening insecurity in the area.

The demonstrators, predominantly youths, barricaded the major road linking the community to other parts of the state, causing a halt to vehicular movement. The action was driven by growing frustration over repeated attacks, including killings and kidnappings, that have plagued Egbe and neighbouring towns, particularly those along the border with Kwara State.

Residents say bandits have continued to operate with impunity, turning the area into a flashpoint for violence.

The protest was triggered by the killing of a resident, Juwon Ajisafe, in the Bareke area of Egbe on Tuesday. Eyewitnesses reported that gunmen shot him at close range before fleeing the scene. Ajisafe, a native of Odo-Ere, was rushed to a hospital but was later confirmed dead by medical personnel.

His death sparked outrage across the community, with many accusing authorities of failing to protect lives and property. Residents lamented that repeated appeals to security agencies have yielded little results, leaving many in fear and forcing some to flee their homes.

In a related development, reports emerged of the abduction of a man identified as Gbenga Akolo along the border corridor between Kogi and Kwara states. According to sources, he was kidnapped on Tuesday while travelling between Egbe in Kogi and Koro in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The abduction is the latest in a series of violent incidents recorded in Yagba West within a 48-hour period. The wave of insecurity has reportedly included multiple kidnappings, shootings, and the burning of vehicles along major routes, including the Egbe–Eruku road, Egbe Okunran axis, and communities around Odo-Ere and Bareke.

As of the time of filing this report, no official statement had been issued by the police or state government regarding the protest or the recent attacks.