Security concerns rise in Kogi State following coordinated attacks on churches and rural communities.
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted over 20 worshippers, including children, during an attack on a church in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, further deepening security concerns in the region.
The attackers, more than 50, stormed the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA)in Aiyetoro Kiri on Sunday, shooting sporadically and causing panic among worshippers. One person was killed during the incident, while several others were taken away.
The attack marks the second violent incident in the community in recent weeks, following an earlier invasion in which about 50 residents were abducted and multiple mobile phones looted from a business centre. The recurring assaults have forced many residents to flee the area over safety concerns.
Meanwhile, fear also gripped Oke-Agi and Ilai communitiesin Mopamuro Local Government Area, where armed bandits reportedly carried out simultaneous early-morning attacks.
Eyewitnesses said the assaults began around 4 a.m., targeting two locations almost at the same time and lasting for over an hour. Several residents were reportedly killed or injured, while others were abducted. Distress calls made during the attacks were said to have received delayed responses.
One of the incidents occurred at Jamroro settlement, located between Oke-Agi and Takete Isao, largely inhabited by members of the Tiv ethnic group. Victims injured during the attack were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
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A second attack near Ilai Grammar School, less than a kilometre from Ilai town, reportedly claimed one life, with three residents abducted.
Confirming the incidents, the Chairman of Mopamuro Local Government Area, Hon. Ademola Bello, expressed concern over the delayed security response. Traditional rulers and community leaders also criticised the lack of timely intervention by security agencies.
Residents have called on authorities to take urgent and decisive action to halt the growing wave of banditry threatening lives and livelihoods across the affected areas.
As of the time of filing this report, injured victims were receiving medical attention, while efforts to reach the Kogi State Police Command spokesperson, SP William Ayah, for an official reaction were unsuccessful.
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