CCISSGO-24

RESIDENTS FLEEING OKUNRAN, KOGI STATE, AS BANDIT ATTACKS INTENSIFY The once peaceful community of Okunran in Kogi State has become a place of fear and despair. In recent weeks, escalating bandit attacks have forced residents to abandon their homes, farmlands, and businesses. Families are fleeing in large numbers, leaving behind the lives they once knew. The community, once alive with trade and culture, now resembles a ghost town marked by silence and fear. DAILY LIFE IN FEAR Residents of Okunran describe nights of terror as armed bandits storm the community, shooting sporadically and kidnapping people for ransom. Survivors recount hearing gunshots almost every night, with families unsure if they will live to see the morning. “Every night is a nightmare,” said one displaced farmer. “We can no longer farm, trade, or even sleep. They come at any time, and nobody feels safe anymore.” Markets have been shut, schools deserted, and farmlands abandoned. The situation has created fo...