Panic As Gunmen Abduct Kogi Traditional Leader After Ambush, Whisk Him Into Forest

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted David Wada, the District Head of Bagaji Odo in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Williams Aya, confirmed the incident, stating that “operatives, hunters, and vigilantes have been deployed to comb the forests for the victim’s safe release.”

Wada was returning from a traditional council meeting in Abejukolo, headquarters of Omala LGA, when he ran into the ambush at Ojuwo Ugweche around 5pm on Monday. 

Eyewitnesses said the attackers seized him at gunpoint and whisked him into the bush.

The abduction comes barely months after the Obalohun of Okoloke, Oba James Dada Ogunyanda, regained his freedom following his kidnap from the palace in Okoloke, Yagba West, on May 15, 2025.

Reports indicated that a substantial ransom was paid to secure the monarch’s release. 

Community members celebrated his return with cheers and warm embraces as he rode back into the town on a motorbike.

According to reports, the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N100million for the monarch’s release. 

The assailants were said to have overpowered palace guards before whisking him away to an undisclosed location, an incident confirmed by the Kogi State Police Command.