The Kogi State Joint Task Force of Vigilante and Neighbourhood Watch have repelled another kidnap attempt at the same area of Udi bridge in Kogi Local Government Area of the State of Kogi by daredevil bandits circa 11 PM yesterday. The State Security Task Force claims to have inflicted serious gunshot wounds on several of the kidnappers while one of the kidnappers was killed during the exchange of fire. The criminals were chased right into their camps and they dispersed upon realising that the security team was unrelenting. The team has began a thorough combing through the areas to track down the wounded kidnappers of both yesterday night and early morning hours incidents. And also arrest every other members of the gang.

Switch Nigeria had reported that two kidnappers were neutralised during the aborted kidnap attempt by the bandits in the early hours of Monday, 13th July 2020. We reported that kidnappers ambushed a Toyota Sienna buscar at the Udi Bridge on the Lokoja-Abuja expressway, but were stunned by the Joint Security Task force of Kogi State, in an encounter several of them sustained gunshot injuries.

There has been renewed onslaught against kidnapping activities recently after the security apparatuses of the North Central had liaised with the various security organisations and forces, as well as local vigilante groups to stamp out criminality in the geopolitical zone.

Although Kogi State has had a modicum of calm the past six months prior to the lockdown period, there has been evidence of an upsurge in recent weeks.

The State Security Task Force successfully confronted the criminals, killing one of them in last night’s encounter. They have advised the residents of the area to cooperate with the security personnel to avail them with information about the notorious bandits in the axis.