One Rescued as Gunmen Abduct Worshippers in Kogi
A solemn night of prayers turned into a nightmare in Kogi State as gunmen invaded a remote mountain worship site in the Egbola community, along Agbaja Road in Lokoja Local Government Area, abducting several worshippers in the middle of a night vigil.
The attackers reportedly descended on the prayer gathering late Friday night, opening fire into the air to create panic before rounding up the faithful and dragging them into the surrounding bush.
Local vigilantes, alerted by distressed calls, responded swiftly and engaged the gunmen in a fierce gun duel. Their timely intervention led to the rescue of one of the abductees, a woman identified as Mary Adams Gure.
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According to a vigilante member involved in the response, “The attackers came shooting sporadically to instill fear. But our men mobilized quickly, and in the heat of the confrontation, we were able to rescue Gure while the rest were taken into the forest.”
Gure reportedly escaped amid the chaos and was later secured by the vigilante operatives who arrived at the scene shortly after the incident unfolded.
While a search-and-rescue mission is ongoing to locate and free the remaining captives, the exact number of abducted worshippers remains unconfirmed.
Efforts to get an official statement from the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP William Aya, were unsuccessful as calls and messages to his phone went unanswered.
The incident has sparked renewed concerns over the growing insecurity in parts of Kogi State, particularly around isolated religious gathering sites. Residents are now calling on security agencies to increase surveillance and presence around known worship centers, especially during night vigils and special religious activities.
By PRNigeria
