‘Ebeje in Kogi State is under siege. Fulani terrorists killed 8 residents so far,’ activist Austin Okai said, as Fulani Ethnic Militia attacks leave villages abandoned across Dekina-Bassa County.
By Onibiyo Segun
Ebeje, Kogi State–Northern Kogi is under fire. Eight people are dead, dozens displaced, and entire villages left in ashes after suspected Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM) terrorists struck early one morning in Dekina-Bassa County.
Dekina-Bassa county lies in eastern Kogi State along forest corridors connecting North-Central Nigeria to neighboring states affected by banditry, kidnappings, and militia activity.
Okete was the first to feel the pain. Families fled into the bush, clutching what little they could carry.
Nestled between Ebeje I and Ebeje II, Okete is particularly exposed along forest corridors used by armed groups.
Nearby Akpelu, a distinct community, braced for the worst.
“Ebeje I and Ebeje II were destroyed, and Edede was reportedly razed during the attack. Akpelu is tense; people there are bracing for the worst,” Michael Obaje, a resident of Akpelu, told TruthNigeria in a chat.
The attacks swept from Okete to surrounding villages, leaving a trail of destruction across interconnected communities.
Austin Okai, a political activist from Dekina-Bassa based in Abuja, said in a Facebook post: “Ebeje in Kogi State under siege. 8 residents killed so far.”
Austin added, “The destruction is widespread, and urgent intervention by state and federal authorities is needed.”
Survivors Tell Their Story
Chief Daniel Adamu, a leader in Ebeje I, described a chilling scene, “The attackers are suspected Fulani terrorists who came from outside,” Adamu told TruthNigeria.
He added, “They have constantly attacked communities around us here.”
“The villages remain vulnerable because armed Fulani militia use nearby forests to launch raids before disappearing into remote terrain,” Adamu explained.
Sambo Ibrahim, a farmer from Okete, recalled, “Around 3 a.m., people’s screams woke me. I saw about 20 attackers, on foot, with cutlasses and guns, shoot at houses and set them on fire.”
Maryam Kolo, a trader in Edede, escaped with her 10-year-old son. “Before anyone could raise alarm, homes were burning, and people ran,” she said.
Gideon Dauda, an Okada rider from Ebeje, said, “One of our riders, Nasiru, was beheaded. Others were hacked in their homes. It was a gory sight.”
Forests surrounding these communities have increasingly become staging grounds for armed groups in North-Central Nigeria.
Security Forces Under Fire
Residents and security analysts say responses remain inadequate.
Retired Colonel Ibrahim Waziri, a security analyst in Abuja, said:
“The situation in Kogi exposes the total failure of security agencies.”
He added, “the military and police lack the men, capacity, and strategy to stop these attacks.”
Waziri explained, “patrols are useless, intelligence is almost non-existent, and rapid response is reactive at best.”
Waziri explained further that armed militias exploit local terrain and weak rural security coverage, while forest corridors linked to attacks remain poorly monitored.
“These terror groups operate openly from dense forests, attack villages, kidnap residents for ransom, and loot property. Why are these forests not patrolled?” Waziri asked.
Kogi State Government Responds
The Kogi State Government condemned the attacks and announced measures to restore security.
Commissioner for Internal Security Ibrahim Abdullahi, while responding to a chat with TruthNigeria reporter said, “Additional security personnel have been deployed to Dekina and Bassa Counties.”
Residents told TruthNigeria that there is increased patrols along access roads, while local vigilantes and hunters coordinated with security personnel to monitor forests.
Police assessment teams were also deployed to affected villages, according to residents.
A Pattern of Violence
This is not an isolated incident. Over the past three months, TruthNigeria has tracked a sharp rise in attacks by Fulani Ethnic Militia groups across Kogi and North-Central Nigeria.
Data from the Nigeria Terror Tracker shows repeated attacks and kidnappings along forest corridors linking Kogi, Kwara, Niger, and Benue over the past year. Some of the recent attacks include:
Bororo Militia Storm Odae Bunu: Five Kidnapped, One Resident Killed
Fulani Militia Overruns Police Mobile Force Camp in Kwara, Kill Three Officers
Security Forces Recoil as 11 Attacks Sweep Across Four Regions
Fulani Terrorists Spring Trap on Sleeping Village, Abducting Mayor, Pastor and Family
The pattern is consistent: armed Fulani groups exploit forest cover, target poorly defended rural communities, and retreat before security forces respond.
Civilians Pay the Price
Samuel Ocholi, a public affairs analyst in Lokoja, said, “Many villages are deserted. Families sleep in bush camps or overcrowded host communities, with limited aid and worsening food shortages.”
Professor Hauwa Musa, a humanitarian expert at Ahmadu Bello University, warned, “Schools emptied, farms abandoned, families displaced. Fear is rising, and Christian-Muslim relations are strained.”
Roads to affected communities remain poorly patrolled, slowing relief efforts.
Okai warned, “Without urgent intervention, the crisis in Oganenigu ward and surrounding areas in Dekina-Bassa county will escalate, potentially spreading to other parts of Kogi State.”
What’s Needed
Samuel Ocholi told TruthNigeria, “The crisis requires more than reactive deployments.”
“Sustained forest operations, improved intelligence, expanded rural patrols, and closer coordination with local communities are necessary to track and stop Fulani militia mobility.”
As northern Kogi communities struggle to recover, one question looms: can state and federal authorities outpace increasingly mobile armed militias before more villages are emptied and more lives are lost?
Onibiyo Segun reports on terrorism and conflict for TruthNigeria.
