At least 13 worshippers were kidnapped after armed gunmen attacked a church in Kogi State, central Nigeria, in the latest incident highlighting worsening insecurity in the region, local authorities have confirmed.
The attack occurred on Sunday at the First Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in the remote Ayetoro-Kiri community, according to Kogi State Information Commissioner Kingsley Fanwo. The assailants stormed the church during worship, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire with local hunters who are employed by the state as a first line of community defence.
Fanwo said four of the attackers were killed during the confrontation, while at least 10 others sustained gunshot wounds. The remaining gunmen fled the scene with 13 abducted worshippers, prompting an ongoing manhunt by security forces.
“The security agencies are still in pursuit of the fleeing kidnappers,” Fanwo said, adding that operations had been intensified to secure the release of the victims.
The church attack is the latest in a growing wave of kidnappings and violent assaults in central Nigeria, a region increasingly plagued by armed groups targeting communities, schools and religious institutions. The situation has placed mounting pressure on the Nigerian government to restore security.
The violence has also drawn international attention. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly criticised Nigeria over what he describes as the persecution of Christians and has previously threatened military action if attacks persist.
In a related incident last month, more than 12 staff members were abducted on November 21 during an attack on a Catholic boarding school in Papiri, also in central Nigeria. Although 50 pupils were rescued within hours and another 100 were freed on December 8 following government intervention, several victims from that attack remain in captivity, with authorities yet to provide updates on their condition.
As security forces continue efforts to track down the perpetrators in Kogi State, residents remain fearful amid ongoing attacks, with religious gatherings increasingly becoming targets in Nigeria’s escalating security crisis.
