Former federal lawmaker and ex-Senator Dino Melaye has urged the Kogi State Government to urgently accept responsibility after three residents of Ayetoro-Kiri, in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, lost their lives. The victims were among 37 people kidnapped from an ECWA church on December 14, 2025.
Posting on Facebook on Sunday, Melaye blamed the tragedy on what he called a serious breakdown by both state and federal authorities.
He warned that the Okun community, as tax-paying citizens, would not stay quiet if the pattern of killings and abductions persists.
“The Kogi State Government must take responsibility. The death of three Ayetoro-Kiri indigenes will and should be taken seriously. There are no decisive and pragmatic approaches from state and federal governments,” Melaye wrote.
He further cautioned that residents would resort to mass action if the government failed to respond effectively. “We as Okun people are taxpayers and should not be abandoned.
“We will organise the kind of protest that police cannot stop if the stealing and killing of our people continue,” he said.
Melaye also called for immediate and coordinated action to free those still being held by the abductors. “We want to see deliberate, organised, and working efforts to secure and recover our people. Enough is enough,” he added.
Confirmation of the deaths came on Saturday from community spokesperson David Ampitan, who said the incident reflects a prolonged security challenge in the area.
Ampitan explained that after ransom was paid, only seven of the abducted individuals regained their freedom. He added that some victims were declared dead upon arrival at medical centres, while four others are currently in critical condition. Roughly 30 people are still in captivity, with no clear information about their condition.
He also condemned how authorities handled peaceful demonstrations by residents who were protesting and demanding the safe return of their relatives.
