Nigerian Army Thwarts Bandit Incursions in Kogi State

Troops from the 12 Brigade Nigerian Army in Lokoja achieved major breakthroughs against banditry on January 3, 2026, through a series of intelligence-driven ambushes and fighting patrols in Kogi State’s Kabba Bunu and Yagba West Local Government Areas (LGAs).

Acting on precise tips about bandits advancing from the Adankolo axis toward Agbadu Bunu in Kabba Bunu LGA, soldiers established a well-positioned ambush at a known crossing point. The criminals stumbled into the trap, sparking a fierce firefight that forced their retreat. Battleground searches revealed blood trails suggesting heavy losses, alongside the neutralization of two bandits. Forces seized one AK-47 rifle loaded with a magazine, 99 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, a locally made pistol, and 11 cartridges.

In parallel actions near Saminaka village in Yagba West LGA, troops teamed up with local vigilantes for a combat patrol into the village and surrounding bushlands. The area appeared abandoned upon arrival, leading to deeper sweeps along forest paths toward the Saminaka-Sabo Rijiya road. Contact with fleeing bandits ensued, culminating in their dispersal. Follow-up tracking uncovered another neutralized bandit, an AK-47 rifle, and 17 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.

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The operations also netted a key suspect, Sunday Adedotun from Odo Eri village in Yagba West LGA, nabbed on a Saminaka farmland. He claimed to merely ferry farmers’ harvests but was found amid stockpiles of energy drinks, soft drinks, bottled water, and fresh produce—items often used to sustain bandit camps. Adedotun remains in detention as investigations probe his full role in the criminal supply chain.

These successes build on Kogi State’s escalating security challenges, where banditry has surged amid broader national concerns over armed groups exploiting forested border regions. Recent reports from outlets like Premium Times and Vanguard highlight similar incursions in neighboring Niger and Nasarawa states, with the Nigerian Army intensifying patrols under Operation Whirl Stroke and similar mandates. No independent verification of casualties emerged from online searches across military statements, local news (e.g., Kogi State government portals), or social media monitors as of January 4, 2026, but the army’s claims align with patterns of confirmed recoveries in prior engagements.

Brigadier General Kasim Umar Sidi, Commander of 12 Brigade, praised his men’s “professionalism, courage, and swift intelligence response.” He vowed relentless patrols, ambushes, and targeted strikes to choke criminal operations in the zone, reassuring residents of safer communities ahead.

Kogi, a North-Central gateway state, has seen bandit activities intensify since late 2025, fueled by porous borders and rural vulnerabilities. Yesterday’s wins underscore the military’s pivot toward proactive disruption of bandit mobility and logistics, a tactic proving effective in curbing kidnappings and raids that plagued the region last year.