Police in Kogi State on Friday used teargas to disperse youths from Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area who were protesting against escalating insecurity and the abandonment of several communities in the area.
The protesters, mostly youths from Bunuland, blocked a major road during the demonstration, chanting solidarity songs and holding placards highlighting the violence, killings, and forced displacement affecting their communities. Messages on the placards included: “Bunuland Bleeds” and “Why Should We Ask for Permission to Live?”
One of the protesters lamented that dozens of communities had been deserted due to persistent attacks. “We have 44 communities in Bunuland. Those communities have been deserted,” he said. He cited areas including Kayetoro, Kiri, and Ole, noting that in Ole alone, three residents were recently killed, adding that many others had lost their lives over time.
Fear and insecurity, the protesters said, had forced residents to abandon their ancestral homes. “There is nobody left in those communities. People have fled their homes. The police are here now, and they have been shooting teargas at us,” the protester added. Despite the teargas, they vowed to continue their demonstration until urgent action is taken by government and security agencies.
The protest ended after police fired multiple rounds of teargas, forcing demonstrators to disperse and clearing the blocked road.
Residents of Kabba-Bunu and surrounding areas have repeatedly raised concerns over rampant killings, kidnappings, and attacks on farmlands, accusing authorities of failing to protect lives and property.
SaharaReporters previously reported that several people were abducted along the Omi-Odo Ara Road in Yagba West Local Government Area on December 30, 2025, although the number of victims remains unconfirmed. In another incident, terrorists reportedly attacked Odo-Ere community, abducting at least four residents, including Engr. Shina Ajere, Mr. Kehinde Afolabi, Damilola Ogun, and a woman known locally as Iya Lara. Gunfire was reported across the community, and some buildings bore visible bullet marks.
The protest underscores growing frustration among Kogi youths over insecurity, killings, and mass displacement in their communities, calling for immediate intervention from state and federal authorities.
