Some terrorists wreaking havoc on Kogi State, Northcentral Nigeria, have attempted to kidnap some staff of Dangote Cement Factory in Obajana, Newsbreak reliably learnt.
The Dangote Cement plant in Obajana, Kogi, is the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa with 10.25 million tonnes per year capacity across three lines and a further 3 million tonnes per year capacity currently being built.
During the foiled kidnap attempt which happened last week, staff on night duty were targeted.
“We are safe but there’s a security threat around,” a staff who does not want to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the press, told this news medium.
“They came last week try to kidnap [some] staff on night duty. We’re reinforced with security officials and more vigilantes.
“In fact, it affected some innocent people’s businesses, as many shops and shanties were demolished by authorities.”
Since the start of the year, the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for multiple terrorist attacks recorded in Kogi State.
Although there is a high level of insecurity in Kogi, where bandits and kidnappers have been operating in recent months, the state is not known for ISWAP attacks, as the sect operates mainly in the North East.
Not long ago, Jihad Analytics, a consultancy company that processes data on global and cyber jihad, said Nigeria now has the highest number of attacks by the Islamic State (IS).
According to the report, half of the attacks claimed by IS since the beginning of 2022 were in Africa, while ISWAP, an affiliate of IS, is now more active in Nigeria.
Data by Jihad Analytics showed that while Nigeria has recorded a total of 162 IS operations since January 2022, Iraq has recorded 120.
“For the first time in the history of the jihadi group, Iraq is no longer the country where #IS claims the highest number of operations: the group #ISWAP is now more active in Nigeria,” it said.
In 2015, the late Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, pledged allegiance to IS, whose fighters killed him six years after.
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