Fresh killings, mass abductions and an escalation in drone-enabled attacks have deepened fears about Nigeria’s security outlook, officials and residents warned yesterday, even as President Bola Tinubu pledged stepped-up efforts to regain control of troubled areas.
At least four people were confirmed dead after a violent clash between armed Fulani men and residents in parts of Ibaji Local Council, Kogi State, while gunmen suspected to be kidnappers intercepted a commercial Sienna bus on the Ejule–Aloma road, abducting an unknown number of passengers. Residents said the abandoned vehicle carried at least 10 people when it was stopped. No official statement had been issued by security agencies at press time.
“I am deeply saddened by reports of violent clashes between Ibaji communities — particularly Ejule Ojebe — and Fulani herdsmen,” said Comfort Ojoma Nwuchiola Egwaba, Deputy Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, who confirmed the casualty figure. She urged security agencies to act swiftly to restore peace and called for “proactive and lasting solutions” to address the root causes of the tensions.
In Benue State, nine worshippers of Saint John’s Catholic Church, Ojije in Utonkon District, Ado Local Council, were abducted during a church vigil on Sunday. Emmanuel Udah, a former ward councillor, described the raid as a targeted attack that has left the community traumatised. “The people of Utonkon are living in fear,” he said, calling on authorities to bolster protection for rural communities.
Benue State Police spokesperson Udeme Edet confirmed the kidnappings and said the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, had deployed tactical units and worked with local vigilantes to track the abductors. “Security operatives are on the trail of the perpetrators,” she added.
The recent violence comes amid mounting alarm over the increasing use of drones by Islamist extremist groups across West Africa. A BBC report, citing data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (Acled), found that two Islamic State affiliates — Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) — have carried out roughly 20 drone strikes in the region since 2024, many inside Nigeria.
Ladd Serwat, a senior Africa analyst at Acled, told the BBC that jihadist groups typically modify commercially available quadcopters, rigging them with explosives and using them both for strikes and for reconnaissance ahead of ground assaults. The most recent major incident cited occurred on January 29 in Borno State, when insurgents launched a coordinated assault involving multiple armed drones and ground fighters on a military base, killing nine soldiers, an attack analysts attribute to ISWAP.
Security analysts warn the spread of drone use represents a significant tactical shift. “Drones reduce operational costs, enhance intelligence gathering and enable attacks on previously hard-to-reach targets,” said Audu Bulama Bukarti, a security expert. Malik Samuel, a senior researcher at Good Governance Africa, noted that despite tight regulations on drone importation in Nigeria, extremist groups have obtained devices through smuggling networks across the region’s porous borders.
National response and political pledges
President Tinubu, speaking at the opening of the National Economic Council (NEC) Conference in Abuja, vowed to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and reiterated that defeating terrorism remains central to economic recovery and long-term development. “I promise you here that I’ll play my part… I am here again to further find ways to strengthen our security forces and defeat terrorism,” he said, linking insecurity directly to economic stagnation.
Tinubu also announced plans for seven mechanisation zones to boost agriculture and stressed the need for cooperative action across federal and state governments to tackle security threats that hinder growth. Vice President Kashim Shettima and ministers at NEC urged deeper collaboration among the three tiers of government to prioritise poverty reduction, job creation and fiscal sustainability as part of a broader stabilisation strategy.
International concern and calls for urgent action
The wave of attacks has drawn international attention. U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore condemned recent violence targeting Christians, including the abduction of a Catholic priest in Kaduna and last week’s killings, urging the Nigerian government to protect all citizens. “The genocide of Christians must end,” he said on X, calling for prayers and decisive action.
Local leaders and residents are pressing for immediate, practical measures: faster deployment of security assets, use of surveillance technology to track kidnappers, tougher border controls to stem arms and drone smuggling, and renewed investment in community policing and conflict-prevention initiatives that address land and resource disputes.
Security experts say a coordinated response is urgently needed to counter the growing complexity of threats — from armed cattle-related clashes and banditry on roads to insurgent groups employing aerial tactics. That response will have to combine better intelligence, rapid tactical deployments, tighter border interdiction, and community-level trust-building if Nigeria is to blunt an escalation that threatens both lives and the fragile economic gains the government is trying to protect.
