A devastating surge of coordinated violence swept across Nigeria’s North-Central and North-West regions this past weekend, defined by the alarming deployment of aerial surveillance (drones) by bandits and terrorists to monitor, target, and attack vulnerable communities across at least four states.
Reports from security analysts and local sources confirm a chilling pattern of aggression, marking a significant escalation in the operational sophistication of criminal non-state actors.
The most disturbing development was reported in Kogi State, where residents of Ejiba community in the Yagba West Area reported a drone hovering overhead minutes before armed men stormed a Cherubim and Seraphim Church during Sunday service.
Security analysts believe the device was a commercial quadcopter, likely costing between ₦1.5 million and ₦3 million, used for real-time reconnaissance. The drone allowed the attackers to confirm the presence of worshippers, map escape routes, and check for any security presence before launching their ground assault, leading to the abduction of the pastor, his wife, and several congregants.
The incident highlighted a worrying disconnect between the sophistication of the attack and the official response, as the Kogi State Commissioner for Information questioned the church’s location “in a bush” rather than immediately addressing the use of advanced surveillance technology by terrorists.
Coordinated Attacks Across the North
The drone-assisted attack in Kogi was part of a larger, coordinated weekend of violence that spanned multiple states:
| State | Community/Target | Incident Details |
| Kogi | Ejiba Community Church | Pastor, wife, and worshippers abducted following reported drone surveillance. |
| Sokoto | Chacho Village, Wurno LGA | Late Saturday night attack that left several communities terrorized and resulted in casualties and abductions. |
| Kwara | Bayagan Community | The Ojibara of Bayagan (traditional ruler) was abducted from his farm along with six others, leading to a demand of ₦150 million before their eventual escape after vigilante pressure. |
| Kano | Yankamaye Village, Tsanyanwa LGA | Night raid on the border community resulting in the death of a woman and the abduction of three others. |
Security reports from SBM Intelligence and others have repeatedly warned that groups like ISWAP and various bandit cells have adopted sophisticated tactics, including Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and commercial drones rigged with explosives, making the current conventional military response increasingly challenging.
The “Weekend of Horror” exposes the dangerous intersection of escalating violence and advanced technology, financed by Nigeria’s profitable kidnapping-for-ransom industry.
TheLink News observes that the ransoms, such as the ₦150 million demanded in the Kwara case, are no longer merely manifestations of greed; they are investment capital for the criminal organizations. The funds pay for, drones and surveillance, enabling surgical, pre-planned attacks that minimize risk to the bandits. More so, satellite connectivity is a critical enabler allowing bandits to bypass local telecom shutdowns, often using services like Starlink for real-time video streaming and encrypted ransom negotiations, as well as advanced weaponry indicating the robust financing of the supply chain of sophisticated arms and logistics.
The incident provides stark validation for the Northern Governors’ call to suspend mining (a key source of criminal income) and launch a unified ₦1 billion security fund.
The government’s most urgent mandate is to drastically cut off the financial arteries that allow these criminal networks to perpetually upgrade their arsenal and, most critically, their intelligence capabilities.
The battle for security is now a race to close the intelligence gap opened by cheap, readily available drone technology.
