Sunday, meant to be a day of worship and quiet reflection, descended into horror and mourning across parts of Kogi State as armed bandits unleashed a wave of terror on churches and rural communities, leaving death, abductions, and shattered lives in their wake.
In the usually peaceful Ayetoro-Kiri community of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, the stillness of morning worship at the First ECWA Church was violently broken. As hymns filled the air and worshippers bowed their heads in prayer, gunmen burst into the community, firing sporadically to instill fear and scatter residents. Moments later, they advanced on the church compound itself, turning a sacred space into a scene of chaos and bloodshed.
One worshipper, known simply as Jayjay, was killed in the attack—his life cut short on a day dedicated to faith and fellowship. At least 20 members of the congregation were dragged away into the bush by the attackers, though the true number remains uncertain as anguished families continue to search for loved ones who never returned home.
As grief settled over Ayetoro-Kiri, violence was unfolding almost simultaneously in Mopamuro Local Government Area. In the early hours of the morning, around 4:00 a.m., armed men swept through Oke-Agi, Jamroro, and Ilai communities in a series of chilling, coordinated raids.
In Jamroro, a settlement nestled between Oke-Agi and Takete Isao, the attackers operated for more than an hour, unchallenged. By the time help arrived, two residents lay dead and three others were wounded, their cries echoing the helplessness of a community under siege.
Near Ilai Grammar School, the pattern repeated itself: one life lost, three more people forcibly taken, and families left staring into the darkness, unsure if they would ever see their loved ones again.
Local leaders described the attacks as deliberate and well-orchestrated, with the gunmen moving freely from one location to another, sowing fear before authorities could respond. For many residents, the sense of abandonment was as painful as the violence itself.
Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West, condemned the attacks in strong terms, warning that entire communities are now emptying out as terrified residents flee their homes, farms, and livelihoods in search of safety. He pointed to a recent assault on a church in Ejiba—where worshippers abducted weeks ago are still believed to be in captivity—as evidence of a deepening and dangerous pattern.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, expressed sympathy for the victims and said efforts are underway to restore calm, though official details regarding the church attack remain scarce. Security operatives have reportedly been deployed, with local vigilante groups joining desperate search-and-rescue efforts.
Yet many residents say the response came too late, allowing the attackers ample time to kill, abduct, and vanish into the surrounding forests.
Across Yagba and Mopamuro districts, fear now hangs heavy in the air. Homes have been abandoned, communities are on edge, and calls for urgent and decisive security intervention grow louder by the day.
This latest tragedy marks a grim resurgence of violence in Kogi State’s Okun land. Once again, blood has been spilled in places meant for worship and peace, underscoring a painful national reality: armed banditry, kidnappings, and attacks on rural and Christian communities continue to haunt northern and central Nigeria, leaving sorrow, trauma, and unanswered prayers behind.
