Segun Atanda/
A harrowing video has emerged showing abducted worshippers from the First Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Ayetoro Kiri, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, in the custody of suspected bandits.
The footage, shared on social media platforms, depicts elderly persons, women and children looking visibly distressed and fearful, heightening concerns over their safety and wellbeing.
The abductions occurred during a violent attack on Sunday, December 14, when bandits stormed the rural church during a service.
Local residents report that the assailants opened fire to cause panic before seizing congregants and leading them into the surrounding forest.
Authorities initially reported that at least 13 worshippers were kidnapped, based on confirmation from the Kogi State Government.
Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, stated that local hunters engaged the attackers, neutralising several of them, and that security operatives, including the Nigerian Army and Department of State Services (DSS), are pursuing the abductors to effect a rescue.
The scale of the abductions, however, remains disputed.
Community leaders have claimed that as many as 37 people, including more than a dozen children and elderly persons, were taken during coordinated assaults on both ECWA and neighbouring churches.
They also allege that some captives were forced at gunpoint to return home to collect money before being led away.
During the raid, a young seminary graduate, identified as Jimoh Adeyemi, was reportedly killed, with others sustaining injuries.
In the days following the attack, Ayetoro Kiri has been largely deserted, with residents fleeing to nearby towns and villages out of fear of further violence.
Videos obtained by reporters show empty streets and locked homes, underscoring the deepening security crisis in the community.
Calls for urgent government intervention and enhanced security measures have intensified as families await news of their loved ones.
This incident comes amid a broader pattern of insecurity in rural parts of Kogi State, where banditry and armed raids on villages and places of worship have become increasingly frequent, raising alarm among civil society groups and local authorities alike.
The whereabouts of the abducted worshippers remain unknown at this time, and efforts by security agencies to secure their release are ongoing.
Families and community leaders are appealing for national and international attention to the plight of those held captive, urging swift action to prevent further displacement and tragedy.
Click link to see video:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/870007758911077/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
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