BREAKING: Egbe Residents In Kogi On Alert As Bandits In New Tactic Spray Chemicals Before Abducting Victims

Residents of Egbe town in the Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State have raised the alarm following reports that bandits have introduced a dangerous new tactic in their operations.

This tactic is about spraying chemical substances inside homes to sedate victims before abduction.

Local security sources confirmed that two separate incidents occurred in the early hours of Monday, November 24, 2025, prompting urgent calls for heightened vigilance in the community.

In the first attack, two residents were kidnapped, while another narrowly escaped after sending a distress message to local security personnel.

However, by the time security teams arrived, the attackers had retreated into the bush with their captives.

Eyewitnesses say the bandits targeted the home of a well-known ECWA Hospital staff member in Odorum around 11 pm. 

They reportedly jumped the perimeter fence, spent over 90 minutes inside the compound, and sprayed a chemical substance described as similar to “turari” into the rooms. 

The substance caused sudden weakness in anyone who inhaled it.

Meanwhile, the resident, who was not in his usual room, regained enough strength to alert security forces. 

Vigilantes arrived swiftly, fired warning shots, and forced the intruders to flee, rescuing the victim.

Later in the day, another abduction attempt near Baba Labourer/Government Secondary School was successfully thwarted by Egbe vigilante operatives. Security teams engaged the attackers, and no one was abducted.

The use of chemicals to incapacitate victims has heightened fear across the community, with residents warning that bandits are becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous.

Local residents have commended Egbe’s vigilante groups for their resilience, bravery, and rapid response, noting that their courage remains a critical line of defense in preventing further tragedies in Yagba West.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that in the early hours of Monday, bandits reportedly attempted to storm Odorum in Egbe, Yagba West, Kogi State, but were met with strong resistance from local vigilantes.

Sources familiar with the incident had said the attackers were repelled following a brief but intense confrontation.

It was learnt that the prompt and coordinated response of the Egbe Vigilante Team prevented what could have been a serious security breach in the community.

Authorities and residents are still assessing the situation, but early indications suggest there were no casualties, and the local security outfit successfully defended the area.

Last Tuesday, SaharaReporters reported that gunmen abducted a timber supplier and one of his workers in Okoloke, a community in Yagba West, heightening residents’ fears amid a rising wave of kidnappings in the area.

SaharaReporters learnt that the victims were seized while carrying out their work on a farm in the area.

The attackers reportedly stormed the site unexpectedly, shooting sporadically and forcing the workers to flee in different directions.

 One of the labourers, who narrowly fled the scene, confirmed the incident and told community members that the kidnappers overpowered the timber supplier and one of his staff before whisking them away into the forest.

Communities in Yagba East and Yagba West LGAs, particularly those sharing borders with Kwara State, have been experiencing a disturbing rise in armed attacks, kidnappings and other violent crimes in recent months.