‘Bandits’ kidnap worshippers during church service
Armed men have kidnapped at least 13 people from a church in Nigeria‘s central Kogi state, marking the second such attack in just two weeks.
The attackers burst into the Evangelical Church Winning All in the predominantly rural farming area of Aaaaz-Kiri during Sunday morning service, firing shots and abducting several congregants.
According to Kogi state’s information commissioner, Kingley Fanwo, five of the gunmen were killed, but some managed to escape even after being wounded.
Officials refer to the assailants as “bandits,” a term commonly used in the region to describe criminal gangs that typically kidnap individuals for ransom.
Just two weeks ago, gunmen targeted a church in the nearby town of Ejiba, taking a pastor, his wife, and several church members hostage.
Local residents report that they are still being held captive, despite ongoing efforts by security agencies to secure their release.
“The security onslaught in neighbouring Niger and Kwara states is pushing the bandits more towards Kogi state,” Fanwo told the BBC.
These recent events highlight the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria, especially in the north-western and central areas, where armed criminal gangs have been wreaking havoc with mass abductions, village attacks, and assaults on places of worship over the past few weeks.
One of the most shocking incidents involved the reported kidnapping of over 250 children and 12 staff members from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger state, at the end of November.
While the Nigerian government has pointed fingers at jihadist groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (Iswap) for most of these incidents, analysts speaking to the BBC argue that these acts are primarily the work of criminal gangs.
In response to the escalating crisis, President Bola Tinubu has instructed security leaders to enhance intelligence-driven operations to tackle kidnappings and has approved the deployment of additional troops and police to areas known for such violence.
Authorities also report that joint military and police task forces have had some success in breaking down certain armed groups. However, the attacks persist, particularly in rural areas where security is sparse and response times are sluggish.
‘Bandits’ kidnap worshippers during church service
