Bandits have released the remaining three residents of Olle-Bunu community in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State who were abducted earlier this year, after collecting three motorcycles as additional ransom.
The bandits released the victims on Saturday after days of negotiations with representatives of the community, according to a local community newspaper, Egbe Mekun Parrot.
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The platform said the kidnappers had earlier released some of the abducted residents but continued to hold the remaining three, insisting on further payments despite earlier ransoms allegedly paid by families and community members.
“The negotiations dragged on for days before the final conditions were met,” the platform reported, adding that the release was secured only after the delivery of the motorcycles demanded by the kidnappers.
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Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area has witnessed repeated attacks and abductions in recent months, with residents complaining of growing insecurity and what they described as limited and inconsistent security presence in many rural communities.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that five women abducted from Olle-Bunu community were released after residents raised N12 million as ransom.
The money was reportedly contributed by families of the victims, community leaders, and other residents after days of negotiations with the kidnappers.
At the time, fears remained over the safety of the three other captives who were still being held, despite the payment of the earlier ransom.
Efforts to get a response from the Kogi State Police Command on the latest release were unsuccessful, as calls to the command’s spokesperson were not answered at the time of filing this report.
Rising abductions in Kogi
The Olle-Bunu incident is part of a broader pattern of insecurity across Kogi State.
PREMIUM TIMES has reported multiple cases of abductions and deadly attacks in the Yagba and Kabba/Bunu axes, including raids on communities, church attacks, and the killing of abducted victims despite ransom payments.
In some cases, communities have resorted to collective fundraising to meet kidnappers’ demands, a practice residents say is driven by fear for the lives of captives and delays in rescue operations.
N2.57 billion paid in ransoms nationwide
The repeated ransom payments in Kogi reflect a wider national crisis.
A report by SBM Intelligence, published on 27 August 2025, said no fewer than 4,722 people were kidnapped across Nigeria between July 2024 and June 2025, with N2.57 billion paid in ransoms.
The report, Locust Business: The Economics of Nigeria’s Kidnap Industry – A 2025 Update, documented 997 kidnapping incidents nationwide within the period, leading to 762 deaths. It said civilians accounted for 563 of the fatalities, while 180 kidnappers and 19 security agents were also killed.
SBM Intelligence noted that ransom payments do not guarantee survival, as at least 32 victims were killed in captivity despite payments being made. In some cases, people who delivered ransom were themselves abducted or killed.
While the North-west recorded the highest number of abductions, the report said kidnapping has spread across the country, placing severe financial and emotional strain on families and communities.
READ ALSO: Police foil attack on Obajana operational base in Kogi
According to the report, ransom demands have continued to rise in naira terms, partly due to currency depreciation, forcing communities to give up cash, vehicles, motorcycles, and other valuables to secure the release of abducted relatives.
For residents of Olle-Bunu and other affected communities in Kogi State, the release of the remaining captives brings relief, but also renewed concerns about the cycle of abductions and ransom payments, and the long-term impact of insecurity on daily life and livelihoods.
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