A violent attack on a Cherubim and Seraphim church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, on Sunday morning, November 30, 2025, has left the community in shock and reignited concerns over escalating insecurity in the region. During the assault, armed bandits abducted the church pastor, popularly known as Orlando, his wife, and an unconfirmed number of worshippers from the newly established church.

Video footage emerging from Ejiba captured the immediate aftermath, showing the church interior in disarray, with congregants’ shoes and Bibles strewn where they had been seated. In the distressing video, an individual recording the scene described the abduction, pleading for urgent assistance to rescue the victims. “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, who is the head of this church, was abducted. You can see the inside. They didn’t bother to put off the speaker or anything,” he stated.

This incident is part of a growing pattern of violent attacks targeting places of worship and communities across Kogi State and other Nigerian states, prompting urgent calls for heightened security measures. A stark reminder of this trend occurred just weeks prior, on November 18, 2025, when bandits stormed the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Isegun, Eruku, in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State during a worship service. In that attack, assailants fired shots, killing at least five people before abducting 38 worshippers, including women, children, and elderly members aged between seven and sixty-four years old. Initial reports indicated exorbitant ransom demands, reaching as high as N100 million per victim, later reduced to N20 million each. However, after days of tension, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq announced on November 23, 2025, that all 38 abducted worshippers had regained their freedom, a testament to coordinated efforts by security agencies including the police, Department of State Services (DSS), and National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

In response to the Ejiba church attack, the Kogi State Government promptly launched an aerial and ground security operation. Video footage posted on Facebook by Egbe Emekun Parrot and credited to Olusegun Iselaiye on Sunday showed a state-deployed helicopter and an anti-kidnapping unit actively combing the area in pursuit of the attackers. Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, the Commissioner for Information, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday in Lokoja, strongly condemning the assault and assuring the public that all victims would be rescued.

Fanwo described the incident as very sad and unfortunate, suggesting that the perpetrators might have been hiding in the community or surrounding bushes for days. He criticized villagers who might have seen strange faces but kept quiet, emphasizing the collective responsibility for security. The Commissioner also expressed concern about pastors who encourage worship in unsecured churches located in bushes, particularly in a period of heightened insecurity, referencing the recent Kwara State abduction. He advised residents to be highly security conscious, volunteer intelligence, avoid insecure churches and mosques, and refrain from absolutely unnecessary journeys, especially along danger zones, and to avoid disclosing their movements to anyone.

The Yagba West Local Government Area, being a border LGA, has historically faced its share of criminal activities, a challenge the state government and local authorities have been actively working to combat. The wave of attacks, including another reported incident on the Isanlu Makutu–Idofin route in Yagba East Local Government Area just a day before the Ejiba assault, has significantly heightened fear in neighboring communities. Many residents are now remaining indoors, and commuters are diverting to avoid troubled routes, highlighting the profound impact of these security breaches on daily life and regional stability.