December 18, 2025 — Dalena Reporters
Over 37 worshippers — including children and elderly parishioners have been abducted after coordinated attacks on two churches in Aiyetoro Kiri, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, community sources told DalenaReporters. The gunmen have since issued a ₦600 million ransom ultimatum to families and authorities.
The brazen assault occurred on Sunday, December 14, 2025, when heavily armed attackers surrounded and stormed the First ECWA Church and the Apostolic Church during worship services, taking advantage of the large congregation and peaceful gathering of worshippers.
According to community sources, the abductees include more than 12 children aged three to eight years and over 10 elderly worshippers aged above 70, while others of working age were also seized.
One church member, Pastor Jimoh Adeyemi, also known as JJ, was reportedly killed during the attack, and two others sustained injuries.
After the initial abduction, the attackers contacted locals and demanded direct negotiations with the government. By December 16, they had set a ransom demand of ₦600 million, warning of severe consequences if the deadline was not met.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen operated with unusual confidence and mobility, surrounding the village, firing sporadically and taking captives even after residents attempted to hide in safer parts of the churches.
Community leaders and residents described Aiyetoro Kiri as increasingly unsafe, with this being the third major attack on the village in 2025. Previous incidents included kidnappings in March and a raid in November that resulted in at least one death and the seizure of property.
In the days following the attack, Aiyetoro Kiri has been largely deserted, with families abandoning homes and relocating to neighbouring towns out of fear for their safety. Streets were described as “eerily quiet,” with locked houses and fleeing residents transporting belongings.
Community sources warned that bandits moved freely in and out of the bush around the village, highlighting the absence of a visible and sustained security presence. Many residents called for urgent government intervention, expressing frustration and fear that ongoing insecurity could lead to the permanent depopulation of the area.
As of the latest reports, no official statement has been issued by the Kogi State Government or security agencies specifically confirming the updated number of abductees or rescue efforts, though deployments of military, police and intelligence personnel have been reported in earlier related abduction incidents in the state.
The Kogi church kidnappings have underscored persistent security challenges facing rural communities and places of worship, with many Nigerians increasingly alarmed by the frequency of assaults targeting civilians during religious gatherings.