Suspected bandits attacked a newly established Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S) Church in Ejiba community, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, abducting the pastor known as Orlando, his wife, and several worshippers during Sunday service on November 30, 2025. Eyewitnesses reported that gunmen stormed the church unexpectedly, firing shots that sent congregants fleeing in panic as the assailants whisked away the victims into nearby bushes, leaving the community in chaos and fear.
The Kogi State Government confirmed the incident through Commissioner for Information Kingsley Fanwo, stating that security networks including conventional agencies and local structures have launched a manhunt with intensified surveillance to rescue the abducted individuals whose exact number remains unconfirmed. This raid follows a pattern of banditry in the area, including a Saturday attack in nearby Isanlu where troops rescued five victims after engaging kidnappers with superior firepower.
Police spokesman ASP Williams Aya noted ongoing deployments of Quick Response Units, Anti-Kidnapping squads, and PMF, amid daily armed incursions heightening tensions and forcing residents to avoid troubled routes. The incident underscores Kogi's worsening security challenges, with authorities vowing continued operations to deny criminals freedom of action.