“Kidnapping Now a Daily Reality in Kogi” — Senator Karimi Reveals 28 Residents Abducted in Fresh Attack

Sunday Karimi, the senator representing Kogi West, has raised alarm over the worsening security situation in Kogi State, saying kidnapping has become a daily occurrence in many communities.

Karimi made the disclosure on Wednesday while contributing to a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North) on the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

According to the lawmaker, armed bandits invaded Ayedun Bunu, a community in his senatorial district, in the early hours of Monday and abducted about 28 residents.

He described kidnapping and banditry as a major national security challenge that threatens the country's stability, stressing that responsibility for tackling the crisis should not rest solely on the Federal Government.

“The issue of kidnapping and banditry is a big problem that is trying to bring down this nation, and when it happens, we tend to blame it on the Federal Government alone,” Karimi said.

Highlighting the gravity of the situation in Kogi, he added:

“On Monday, in the early hours, bandits entered Ayedun Bunu in my senatorial district and kidnapped about 28 people. In fact, it is a daily occurrence in my state, but we cannot talk much.”

The senator called for urgent legislative action on proposals for state police and forest guards, arguing that both initiatives could significantly strengthen security efforts across the country.

He also urged state governments to play a more active role in funding and equipping security agencies, noting that increased allocations to states should translate into greater investment in security infrastructure.

Karimi further blamed the persistent insecurity on the weakening of local government administration, saying the inability of local councils to function effectively has created vast ungoverned spaces that criminals exploit.

The lawmaker also advocated the deployment of surveillance and combat drones by state governments to enhance intelligence gathering and security operations.

“If we have drones all over the nation funded by state governments, even if they are just surveillance drones, that is going to help a lot. State governments can even provide attack drones. We are leaving all this and blaming everything on the Federal Government,” he said.

His remarks come amid growing concerns over the rising wave of kidnappings and bandit attacks across several parts of the country.