At least 13 worshippers were abducted after armed gunmen stormed a church in Nigeria’s central Kogi state, underscoring growing insecurity in the region, according to state officials.
The attack targeted a church in the remote Ayetoro Kiri community on Sunday, triggering a gun battle between the assailants and local hunters deployed by the state as a first line of defence. Officials said four of the attackers were killed during the clash, while at least 10 others were wounded as the remaining gunmen fled with the abducted worshippers.
Authorities said security forces are continuing operations to track down the kidnappers and secure the release of those taken. The incident is part of a wider surge in abductions across central Nigeria, placing increased pressure on the government amid international scrutiny over rising violence and the safety of religious communities.
In a separate incident last month, hundreds of students and school staff were kidnapped from a Catholic boarding school in central Nigeria. While dozens later escaped or were rescued, several remain missing, with no official update on their condition.
Officials said intensified security operations are under way in Kogi state as efforts continue to locate and free the abducted worshippers.