There is growing anxiety over the safety of some clerics from the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Christ Apostolic Church who were reportedly abducted by armed men in Odo-Eri community, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Although police authorities say they have intensified search-and-rescue operations to secure the release of the victims, who were taken alongside several family members, church leaders of the affected denominations have yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The Punch reported that the attack occurred around 10pm on Wednesday when about 30 armed men stormed the community on motorcycles, firing sporadically to disperse residents and create panic.
The assailants were said to have gone on to kidnap the clerics, their wives, children, and other residents during the invasion.
While the exact number of abducted persons remains unconfirmed, a source told Sunday PUNCH that “no fewer than 20 persons were taken away from the community.”
The attackers reportedly escaped through the Abewo Road axis, heading towards Kwara State after the operation.
Attempts by our correspondents to reach the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, Afusat Saliu, on Saturday were unsuccessful as she did not respond to calls.
However, Saliu had earlier spoken to TVC News, confirming the incident.
She said security operatives had been deployed in the area, with efforts ongoing to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kogi State, Apostle Olaniyan Adebayo, told Sunday PUNCH that the Department of State Services had issued a security alert, prompting precautionary measures in some parts of the state.
Adebayo said, “The DSS called me and asked me to call the churches in those places based on the intelligence report they had. We alerted all the churches on Wednesday and Thursday concerning it. We sent messages to those churches through their coordinators in the local government.”
He added that the early warning helped churches take preventive steps, ensuring that some clerics and members were aware of the threat and acted cautiously.
When contacted, yhe Redeemed Christian Church of God declined to comment.
A senior official of the church, who said he was not initially aware of the incident, noted that he had forwarded the matter to the appropriate authorities for attention.
