Daniel Otera
The corpse of a retired Nigerian Army officer, Major Joe Ajayi, has been recovered by his family weeks after his abduction in Kogi State, despite the payment of a ₦10 million ransom to his captors.
Major Ajayi, who was kidnapped from his residence in Odo-Ape, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, reportedly died in captivity before the ransom was delivered. Family members, who had clung to hope of his survival, were directed to retrieve his remains at a forest location identified by the kidnappers after the payment was made.
The incident adds to a growing list of unresolved abductions in the state. Earlier in May, the Oba of Okoloke, a first-class monarch in Yagba West LGA, was similarly abducted from his residence. His whereabouts remain unknown.
Recent data from the Nigeria Risk Index indicates that Kogi State ranks among the top five states affected by kidnapping nationwide. The state reportedly recorded 24 kidnapping incidents in the past year, placing it fourth on the national index and earning it a “High Risk” designation. The data also noted a 4.58 percentage point increase in reported incidents compared to the previous cycle.
Further analysis by Tribune Online confirmed that 118 individuals were kidnapped in Kogi during the last measurement period, contributing to 752 cases across the North Central region. Flashpoints such as Kabba-Bunu and Yagba West continue to feature prominently in reported cases.
According to SBM Intelligence’s report, The Economics of Nigeria’s Kidnap Industry, ransom demands across the country typically range from ₦2 million to ₦50 million, with victims predominantly targeted in the North Central and North West regions. Although figures are not broken down by LGA, cases in Kabba-Bunu, Yagba West, and Dekina often involve traditional rulers, retired public servants, and travellers along interstate routes.
While no state-specific average ransom was provided, patterns observed across the North Central zone suggest that families often negotiate ransoms exceeding ₦6 million. These demands have risen in 2025, driven by worsening economic conditions, insufficient policing, and the expanding networks of armed groups operating along forest corridors that stretch into neighbouring states.
In Major Ajayi’s case, the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million. The family, unable to raise the full sum, pleaded for time. His condition reportedly deteriorated during captivity, with requests to send essential medication met with fresh financial demands. Eventually, the captors lowered the ransom to ₦10 million. By the time the sum was delivered, he had died. His remains were deposited at Kabba Specialist Hospital.
The killing of a retired military officer despite ransom payment has intensified anxiety across communities already losing confidence in the state’s security architecture. It reflects a growing national crisis.
The National Bureau of Statistics’ 2024 Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey reported over 8.77 million crime incidents in the North Central zone within a one-year period. The survey found that 65% of households affected by kidnapping ended up paying ransom, with total ransom payouts estimated at over ₦2.23 trillion. Kogi was identified as one of the states with high levels of reported abductions and public dissatisfaction with security response.
Despite repeated assurances by state authorities including recent remarks by Governor Usman Ododo during Sallah prayers in Okene insecurity continues to fuel rural migration, economic losses, and mounting fear. Across Kogi and neighbouring states, many households now contribute monthly stipends to local vigilante groups due to declining faith in police protection. A 2024 investigation revealed that residents in Abuja suburbs and parts of North Central Nigeria contribute between ₦500 and ₦2,000 per household to community-led security outfits.
The case of Major Ajayi is not isolated. A 2023 SBM Intelligence report documented at least 3,620 Nigerians abducted across 582 incidents nationwide between July 2022 and June 2023. The group estimated that over ₦5 billion was demanded in ransom during that period a figure that excludes unreported and informally settled cases.
Kogi’s position as a geopolitical transit corridor between northern and southern Nigeria continues to pose unique challenges. The state’s porous forest routes and highways have made it a strategic path for armed gangs, weapons traffickers, and fleeing insurgents. As observed by the International Crisis Group, states like Kogi have become a critical frontier in the spread of violence into Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
As families bury their dead and ransom flows increase, the question remains: how many more lives must be lost before concrete action replaces political assurances?
