Residents of Okoro Gbedde in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State have been thrown into fear following the abduction of a pastor of the Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners Chapel.
According to eyewitnesses, the pastor was on his way to his farm on Saturday, travelling on a motorcycle along the Okeoffin–Okoro Gbedde axis with a commercial rider. Trouble reportedly started when armed men suddenly confronted them on the road.
Sources said the pastor immediately jumped off the motorcycle on sighting the attackers. While the commercial rider managed to escape unharmed, the pastor was seized by the assailants and taken to an unknown location.
As of the time of filing this report, the kidnappers had not contacted the pastor’s family or the church, and no ransom demand had been made. The silence has only deepened anxiety within the community and surrounding areas, as residents worry about his safety.
The latest abduction adds to growing concerns over insecurity in Kogi State, especially in rural communities. It also revives painful memories of a similar attack in December 2025, when gunmen stormed First ECWA Church and the Apostolic Church in Aiyetoro Kiri, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area.
During that earlier incident, worshippers were kidnapped during church services, with reports indicating that at least 37 people, including children and elderly worshippers, were abducted. The attackers later demanded a ransom of ₦600 million and reportedly killed a seminary graduate, Pastor Jimoh Adeyemi, also known as JJ, while others sustained injuries.
Community members say the recurring attacks have left them living in constant fear, renewing calls for urgent and decisive action by security agencies to protect lives and restore confidence in the affected areas.
