Gunmen struck during a church service at the First ECWA Church in Ayetoro Kiri, Kabba Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, in the early hours of Sunday, December 14, 2025, killing one person and reportedly seizing several worshippers.
The victim, identified by residents as Jayjay, was said to have lost his life in the course of the attack. Authorities had yet to confirm the number of worshippers taken away as security agencies continued to gather details and assess the situation.
The assault is the latest in a series of attacks on places of worship in Okun land, raising anxiety among communities in the area. It is the second church attack reported within weeks.
On November 30, 2025, armed men invaded a Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area, abducting the presiding cleric, identified as Orlando, along with several congregants. The assailants initially demanded a ransom of ₦500 million, which was later reduced to ₦200 million, and issued a two day ultimatum to the families of the victims.
Residents also recalled a separate incident about three weeks earlier when attackers targeted a school in Ayetoro Kiri. On that occasion, members of the community vigilante group were said to have repelled the assailants, preventing any loss of life or abductions.
The latest violence has renewed calls from residents for urgent action by security agencies and the Kogi State Government to stem the rising insecurity in Okun land and safeguard lives and property.
