Kogi State Launches Aerial and Ground Operation After Church Attack in Ejiba
Video footage shared on Facebook by Egbe Emekun Parrot and credited to Olusegun Iselaiye on Sunday shows a state-deployed helicopter and an anti-kidnapping unit combing Ejiba in Yagba West Local Government Area, following an attack on a Cherubim and Seraphim church by armed bandits.
During the assault, the church pastor, popularly known as Orlando, along with an unconfirmed number of worshippers, were reportedly abducted. The incident, which occurred on November 30, 2025, has heightened fear among residents and raised urgent security concerns in the region.
SaharaReporters gathered that security operatives are actively pursuing the attackers, with efforts ongoing to secure the safe release of the victims.
Earlier reports and emerging footage from Ejiba revealed the aftermath of the violent attack, showing the church interior in disarray, with congregants’ shoes and Bibles left scattered on the floor.
In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, a witness described the abduction, pleading for urgent assistance. “I hid myself; this is the church where they abducted people. You are seeing where they kidnapped people at Ejiba. Please, save us. Baba Orlando, the head of this church, was abducted. You can see the inside. They didn’t even turn off the speaker,” he said in Yoruba.
The incident reflects a disturbing trend of attacks targeting places of worship and communities in Kogi State and other parts of Nigeria, prompting urgent calls for increased security measures.
For context, on November 18, 2025, bandits stormed Christ Apostolic Church in Oke-Isegun, Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, during a worship service. The attackers fired shots to create panic, killing at least five people and abducting 38 worshippers, including women, children, and elderly congregants.
The abduction sent shockwaves across Kwara State, with widespread fear in Eruku and surrounding communities. Reports later confirmed that 30 of the abducted victims were women, aged between seven and sixty-four years old. Initial ransom demands were as high as N100 million per person, though these were reportedly reduced to about N20 million each.
After days of tense negotiations, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq announced on November 23, 2025, that all 38 worshippers had been safely released, thanks to coordinated efforts by security agencies, including the police, Department of State Services (DSS), and National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
