Gunmen abducted at least 20 worshippers on Sunday after storming a service at the First Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Ayetoro Kiri, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, in the latest attack targeting places of worship in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers invaded the church mid-service, firing sporadically to trigger panic. Congregants fled in different directions as the gunmen seized an undisclosed number of worshippers and escaped through nearby bush paths.
The assault threw the normally quiet community into chaos, with residents scrambling for safety amid sustained gunfire. One person, identified only as Jay-Jay, was reportedly killed during the attack.
Sunday’s abduction has intensified fears over worsening insecurity in rural Kogi communities, where repeated attacks on civilians and religious institutions have heightened anxiety.
It marked the second reported church attack in Okun land within weeks. On November 30, armed men stormed a Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area, abducting a cleric identified as Orlando and about 13 worshippers during a service. The attackers initially demanded a ransom of ₦500 million, later reduced to ₦200 million, and reportedly issued a two-day ultimatum to the victims’ families.
Reacting to the latest incident, the Chairman of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Council, Zaccheus Dare Michael, blamed the church for holding a service in what he described as a tense area. He also ordered the immediate closure of all markets in the locality, a move that drew quiet criticism from residents who questioned the absence of preventive security measures.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kogi State Police Command had not responded to repeated requests for official comment.
The Kogi attack follows a series of similar incidents across neighbouring states. On November 19, gunmen attacked the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, killing two people and kidnapping several others during an evening service. Less than a week later, on November 25, more than 20 armed men struck the nearby Isapa community, abducting at least 11 residents.
The spate of violence persists despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a nationwide security emergency on November 26. In a statement personally signed by the president, Tinubu announced plans to recruit 20,000 additional police officers and 50,000 personnel into the armed forces to counter rising insecurity.
Yet attacks and mass abductions have continued unabated.
Adding to public concern, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani revealed last week that bandits and terrorist groups operating in Nigeria are using advanced communication technologies specifically designed to evade state surveillance.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on December 12, Tijani said criminal networks employ call-hopping systems that bounce signals across multiple cell towers, making tracking extremely difficult. He added that the groups often operate from areas with little or no telecom coverage, ensuring their communication signals disappear once they relocate.
The convergence of rising attacks, technological sophistication among armed groups and mounting civilian casualties has renewed a troubling national debate: whether Nigeria is confronting terrorism with sufficient resolve — or quietly adapting to its entrenchment
