Families of the 14 worshippers abducted from a Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, are in panic after the armed gang responsible for the attack issued a two-day deadline for the payment of a ₦200 million ransom.
The kidnappers had initially demanded ₦500 million but later reduced the figure, warning that failure to meet their terms within 48 hours would lead to dire consequences for the hostages. The victims were seized on November 30, 2025, when the heavily armed group stormed the newly established church during a service, firing shots and forcing worshippers into the surrounding bush.
Victims Include Pastor, His Family, and Infants
Among those abducted is the presiding pastor, popularly known as Orlando, along with seven members of his household. Six of them are children, including a three-week-old newborn and a four-month-old baby, making the situation particularly alarming. The remaining hostages are church members who were present during the attack.
A video currently circulating on social media shows members of the pastor’s family kneeling as they make an emotional appeal to Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo. In the clip, four women—including the pastor’s elderly wife, who was also kidnapped during the attack—cry out for government intervention as the deadline draws nearer.
“We cannot raise the money they are asking for,” the elderly woman pleads. “Please, help us before something terrible happens.”
Confusion Over Government Response
Although some family members claim they have not heard any official communication from the state government more than a week after the abduction, earlier statements show that officials had acknowledged the incident and activated security operations.
On the day of the attack, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, condemned the kidnapping and announced that Governor Usman Ododo had ordered a coordinated manhunt involving both formal security agencies and local vigilante groups. The government reiterated its long-standing policy of refusing to negotiate with criminal gangs, insisting that security forces were capable of dismantling the networks responsible.
Partial Rescue Achieved, But Majority Still Missing
By December 3, troops of the 12 Brigade Nigerian Army in Lokoja reported the rescue of six victims in the Ejiba and Saminaka Forest area. Military authorities explained that the captors had released the victims after coming under sustained pressure from ongoing operations.
Despite this breakthrough, eight hostages—including Pastor Orlando and several children—remain in captivity, and their situation is becoming increasingly precarious as the kidnappers’ 48-hour deadline approaches.
Families of the victims, local community members, and church leaders continue to call on both state and federal authorities to intensify rescue efforts, fearing that any delay could endanger the lives of the remaining captives.
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