December 15, (THEWILL) — Kogi State was on Sunday thrown into fear and chaos as suspected bandits launched coordinated attacks on an ECWA church and several communities, killing at least one person and abducting dozens of worshippers and residents across Kabba/Bunu and Mopamuro Local Government Areas of the state.
The most disturbing incident occurred at the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Aiyetoro Kiri, in Kabba/Bunu LGA, where gunmen stormed a worship service, shot indiscriminately and abducted more than 20 congregants, including children. One worshipper was reportedly killed during the attack.
The assault marked the second violent incursion into Aiyetoro Kiri in recent weeks. Bandits had earlier invaded the community, abducting about 50 people and looting several mobile phones from a business centre. The repeated attacks have forced many residents to abandon their homes for safer locations.
Meanwhile, fear also gripped Oke-Agi and Ilai communities in Mopamuro Local Government Area following simultaneous early-morning attacks by armed bandits.
Residents said the assailants struck at about 4 a.m., killing several people, injuring many others and abducting innocent villagers.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that the attackers targeted two locations almost concurrently and operated for more than an hour. They said distress calls placed to security agencies during the onslaught were responded to late.
One of the attacks reportedly occurred at Jamroro settlement, located between Oke-Agi and Takete Isao, a predominantly Tiv community, where casualties were recorded. The injured were rushed to an undisclosed hospital for emergency treatment.
In a separate incident near Ilai Grammar School, less than a kilometre from Ilai town, the gunmen reportedly killed one person and abducted three others.
Confirming the incidents, the Chairman of Mopamuro Local Government Area, Ademola Bello, expressed deep concern over the renewed wave of violence and the delayed response of security agencies.
Traditional rulers and community leaders also decried what they described as the failure of timely intervention to prevent the attacks.
Residents of the affected communities called on the Kogi State Government and security agencies to urgently step up security operations to curb the rising tide of banditry threatening lives and livelihoods in the area.
As of the time of filing this report, local government officials were attending to injured victims in hospital and coordinating relief efforts for affected families.
The Kogi State Police Command has yet to issue any statement on the attacks.
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