A pastor of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, popularly known as Winners’ Chapel, has been abducted by suspected armed bandits in Okoro Gbedde, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, further deepening fears over the growing insecurity in the region.
The cleric was reportedly kidnapped on Saturday while on his way to his farm along the Okeoffin–Okoro Gbedde axis. According to accounts from residents and eyewitnesses, the pastor was travelling on a motorcycle with a commercial rider when they suddenly encountered armed men believed to be bandits operating in the area.
Sources within the community explained that the encounter caused panic and confusion. On sighting the attackers, the pastor reportedly jumped off the motorcycle in an attempt to escape. While the commercial rider managed to flee unharmed, the pastor was overpowered and taken away by the assailants to an undisclosed location.
As of the time of this report, there has been no communication from the abductors to the pastor’s family or the church, and no ransom demand has been made. The incident has triggered widespread fear and anxiety among residents of Okoro Gbedde and neighbouring communities, many of whom say that insecurity has continued to worsen, particularly on rural roads and farmlands.
Locals lamented that frequent attacks along bush paths and village routes have made farming activities and daily movement increasingly risky. Several residents noted that many farmers now avoid going to their farms for fear of being attacked, abducted or killed.
The abduction of the cleric is the latest in a series of violent incidents linked to banditry in Kogi State. Only days earlier, tension gripped Ogbe and surrounding communities following a separate attack along the Ogbe–Egbe axis. During that incident, one person was reportedly shot, while five others were abducted by suspected bandits.
Sources said the victims were travelling from Ogbe to Egbe to attend a wedding ceremony when they were ambushed near the boundary between Ogbe and Koro communities. The attackers allegedly opened fire on the travellers, injuring one person, while others tried to escape into nearby bushes. Five individuals were eventually captured and taken away by the assailants.
The identity of those abducted, as well as the injured victim, had not been officially confirmed at the time of filing this report. However, the attack has further heightened concerns among residents of Ogbe, Egbe and nearby villages, who described the Ogbe–Egbe road as increasingly unsafe, especially for people travelling for social events or routine inter-village movement.
Community members have since called on security agencies and the Kogi State Government to urgently strengthen security presence and patrols along these vulnerable routes. Residents say improved security is critical to preventing further attacks, restoring confidence among commuters, and allowing farmers and villagers to go about their daily activities without fear.
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