Gunmen stormed a church in Nigeria’s Kogi State during a worship service on Sunday, abducting more than 20 worshippers and killing at least one person, in the latest attack to heighten fears over deteriorating security across parts of the country’s north-central region.
The assailants struck the First Evangelical Church Winning All, or ECWA, in the rural community of Ayetoro Kiri in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area as congregants gathered for worship, local residents said. Witnesses said the attackers fired sporadically inside and around the church, triggering panic as worshippers fled in different directions.
Sahara Reporters quoted local sources as saying that while many congregants escaped, an undisclosed number were seized by the gunmen, who later withdrew through nearby bush paths. The community, normally quiet, was thrown into chaos as residents scrambled to account for missing relatives.
The news outlet earlier reported that one worshipper, identified only as JayJay, was killed during the attack. Authorities have not publicly confirmed the death toll.
The abduction is the second reported attack on a church in the Okun-speaking area of Kogi State in recent weeks, deepening anxiety among residents and religious leaders who say rural communities have become increasingly vulnerable.
On Nov. 30, armed men attacked a Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, in neighboring Yagba West Local Government Area, abducting a cleric known as Orlando and about 13 worshippers during a service, according to residents and Christian advocacy groups. Families later said the kidnappers initially demanded 500 million naira in ransom before reducing the demand to 200 million naira and issuing threats if the money was not paid.
Residents said Ayetoro Kiri itself had been targeted roughly three weeks earlier, when armed men attempted to attack a local school. On that occasion, a community vigilante group repelled the assailants, preventing abductions.
Government Response and Regional Tensions
The Kogi State government confirmed the latest church attack in a statement issued in the state capital, Lokoja. Commissioner for Information Kingsley Fanwo described the assault as unacceptable and said security agencies had been mobilized to pursue the attackers and rescue those abducted.
The violence came less than 24 hours after gunmen staged another attack along the Isanlu Makutu–Idofin corridor in Yagba East Local Government Area, where travelers were reportedly forced to abandon vehicles, with several people kidnapped and others robbed.
Residents said the back-to-back incidents have disrupted daily life, with families staying indoors, churches suspending gatherings and motorists avoiding key roads after reports of gunmen hiding in nearby bushes.
Broader Pattern of Church Abductions
Nigeria-based Christian advocacy group Persecution.org earlier reported that armed attackers raided Ejiba during a church service, abducting a pastor, his wife and several worshippers from a newly established congregation. Eyewitnesses cited by the group said the attackers surrounded the church shortly after the service began, forcing congregants to scatter into surrounding bushland.
International Christian Concern, or ICC, and other monitoring organizations say such attacks have become increasingly common, particularly in north-central and northwestern Nigeria, where security presence is thin and rural communities are exposed.
According to Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List, more than 4,100 Christians were abducted in Nigeria last year, the highest number recorded globally. Data compiled by Nigerian and international groups indicate that more than 20,000 Christians have been kidnapped since 2014, many during raids on villages and places of worship.
Nigerian authorities have repeatedly rejected claims that Christians are being targeted because of their faith, maintaining that the violence is driven by criminal banditry and kidnappings for ransom that affect communities across religious lines.
Security analysts say attacks on churches reflect a tactical calculation by armed groups, who often strike during worship services when people are gathered in large numbers and security is minimal. Rural churches, especially newer congregations, are seen as soft targets.
The repeated assaults in Kogi and neighboring states have intensified calls for stronger protection of worship centers and better coordination between formal security forces and local vigilante groups. Residents say patrols often fluctuate, leaving communities to rely on informal warning networks.
As families in Ayetoro Kiri and Ejiba await word on the fate of their loved ones, the attacks add pressure on state and federal authorities to curb kidnappings that have spread across Plateau, Kaduna, Benue, Niger and Kogi states. For many communities, the fear is no longer whether an attack will happen, but when.
SaharaReports/Persecution.org
