A video has emerged showing members of the First ECWA Church abducted by suspected bandits during an attack on Aiyetoro Kiri community in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The 38-second clip, shared by the platform Egbe Mekun Parrot and seen by Reporters, shows visibly distressed elderly persons and young children standing in what appears to be a forest. The captives look frail and exhausted, heightening concerns over their safety.
The worshippers were kidnapped on Sunday, December 14, 2025, when gunmen attacked both the First ECWA Church and the Apostolic Church in Aiyetoro Kiri during a Sunday service. Sources said the assailants surrounded the community and specifically targeted worshippers.
During the attack, a seminary graduate identified as Student Pastor Jimoh Adeyemi, popularly known as J.J., was killed. At least 37 people including children and elderly residents were abducted, while two others reportedly sustained injuries.
Witnesses said some churchgoers managed to hide inside the Apostolic Church, but children who could not escape were taken away.
Among those kidnapped are more than 10 elderly persons aged over 70 and over 12 children between the ages of three and eight.
Residents described the raid as brazen, noting that the bandits reportedly operated for hours and even forced some captives to return home to collect ransom money before leading them away.
This attack marks the third major security incident in Aiyetoro Kiri in 2025.
In March, five people were kidnapped and held for over four months before their release in July, while another attack in November left one person dead.
On December 15, the bandits reportedly contacted the community, demanding negotiations directly with the government rather than victims’ families.
