The Kogi State Government has confirmed a violent attack on a Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area, where gunmen abducted the pastor, his wife, and several worshippers during an early Sunday service.
In a statement issued in Lokoja, the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, condemned the attack as “sad and unfortunate,” assuring residents that security agencies have launched efforts to rescue all victims.
According to eyewitness reports, the armed attackers stormed the church at dawn, causing panic across the Ejiba community as residents fled for safety.
Fanwo suggested the attackers may have been hiding in surrounding bushes or within the community for days, urging locals to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements “If you refuse to raise an alarm when you see strange faces at a time like this, who knows who the next victims will be?” he warned.
The commissioner also criticized the practice of holding worship gatherings in isolated areas without adequate security, especially weeks after a similar church abduction occurred in neighbouring Kwara State.
He urged residents to prioritize their safety by avoiding unsecured worship centres, limiting non-essential travel, and refraining from disclosing personal movements.
Fanwo confirmed that both the state government and the Yagba West Local Government authorities have intensified security operations in the border community and are taking “drastic measures” to secure the release of the abducted worshippers.
Credit: Punch News
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