Nigerian pastor, wife kidnapped by militants during church service

Originally published in The Roys Report

Armed Muslim bandits attacked Ejiba, a community in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi state in central Nigeria, on Sunday morning, abducting a pastor, his wife, and several worshippers during a church service.  

The incident occurred at a newly established Cherubim and Seraphim Church, where congregants had gathered for worship before the gunmen stormed the building. 

Eyewitnesses shared on the Egbe Mekun Platform that the attackers surrounded the small church shortly after the service began. The worshippers were forced to flee in different directions as the gunmen entered the sanctuary. Adegboyega Oguns, who was present when the attack occurred, said the pastor, known as Orlando, was seized along with his wife and multiple members of the congregation. He described the moment as chaotic, with people running into the nearby bushes to escape. 

Locals said many of the worshippers kidnapped were among the earliest members helping to build up the new congregation. The exact number of those abducted has not yet been confirmed because families are still trying to account for those who fled during the attack. 

The Kogi State Government confirmed the assault in a statement issued in Lokoja by Commissioner for Information Kingsley Fanwo. He described the actions of the attackers as unacceptable and assured residents that security agencies were mobilised to pursue the kidnappers. According to him, efforts were underway to locate and rescue the victims. 

The attack occurred less than 24 hours after gunmen staged another operation along the Isanlu Makutu–Idofin corridor in Yagba East Local Government Area. Travellers reported being forced to abandon their vehicles, with several kidnapped and others robbed. The back-to-back incidents have raised concerns among residents who say insecurity in the region has steadily increased in recent months. 

Across Nigeria, Christian leaders, advocacy groups, and security analysts have documented similar incidents in recent years, particularly in the north-central and northwest regions. Several organisations, including International Christian Concern (ICC), have recorded widespread patterns of abductions involving pastors, church workers, and Christian families.  

According to Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List, more than 4 100 Christians were abducted across Nigeria in the previous year, accounting for the highest number recorded globally. Data gathered from Nigerian and international monitoring groups place the number of Christians kidnapped since 2014 at more than 20 000, many of them during attacks on villages and houses of worship. 

Despite this data, Nigerian authorities have repeatedly rejected claims that Christians are being specifically targeted because of their faith. Government officials consistently state that the violence is driven by criminality, banditry, and communal clashes rather than religious persecution. However, residents of communities like Ejiba say churches remain frequent targets, especially during worship hours when congregations gather in one location. 

Church kidnappings have increased sharply. Pastors, seminary students, choir members, and young worshippers have been taken from churches across Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Benue, Plateau, and Kogi states. 

In 2021, 121 students of Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna were abducted during a nighttime raid. In 2022, gunmen stormed a church service in Kaduna and kidnapped the pastor and several worshippers in a pattern similar to the attack in Ejiba. In 2023, bandits abducted more than 40 Christians from churches and Christian communities in Plateau, Kaduna, and Benue in a single month. ICC reported in mid-2024 that more than 500 pastors had been abducted or killed in the last decade. 

Residents of Ejiba said Sunday’s attack has left the community uneasy. Many families remained indoors that day, and several local Christian gatherings scheduled for the following week were suspended. Parents expressed fear about sending their children to church-run programs or evening activities. 

Motorists also avoided several routes in the area, particularly the stretch leading toward the Isanlu Makutu–Idofin road, where the earlier attack had occurred. Drivers said they had received warnings from other travelers to stay off the road after reports of gunmen being spotted in nearby bushes. 

Security personnel have increased patrols in the region, though residents said the presence of officers often fluctuates by day or hour. Many villagers said they rely on informal vigilante and community watch networks to alert them when suspicious activity is detected. 

Christian advocacy groups monitoring insecurity said attacks like the one in Ejiba reflect a growing trend of bandits targeting houses of worship in rural areas where security presence is limited. They said bandits often choose early morning or late evening hours for their operations, especially during prayer times when they expect to find people gathered. 

Despite repeated assurances from federal and state authorities, the number of such incidents continues to rise. Communities across Plateau, Kaduna, Benue, Kogi, and Taraba states have reported frequent attacks, often without swift intervention from security forces. 

The Nigerian government maintains that criminal gangs — not Islamic extremists — are responsible for the violence, arguing that the victims of banditry come from all religious groups. Advocacy organisations counter that the concentration of attacks on Christian communities, pastors, churches, and Christian-majority villages suggests a different pattern. 

The attack on Ejiba is the latest in a series of violent kidnappings affecting Christian congregations across the country. It adds pressure on state and federal authorities to strengthen security at worship centers and in rural communities. 

As families in Ejiba wait for news of their loved ones, the community joins a growing number of Nigerian towns recovering from similar attacks. According to figures published by several rights organisations, more than 50 Christian communities have experienced mass abductions in the last 12 months. The kidnapping in Ejiba marks another addition to a long list of incidents yet to be resolved, leaving residents hoping that security forces will recover the pastor, his wife, and the other worshippers safely. 

This is the second attack in Yagba land within one day, and one of dozens reported across central Nigeria in the last few weeks.

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