There is growing panic over the fate of clerics from the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Christ Apostolic Church, reportedly abducted by gunmen in the Odo-Eri community, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Sources who spoke with Punch said the attackers, numbering about 30, invaded the community around 10 pm on Wednesday, arriving on motorcycles and shooting sporadically to create fear among residents.
The gunmen were said to have abducted the clerics alongside their wives, children, and other residents.
Although the exact number of victims remains unclear, a source disclosed that at least 20 people were taken away during the attack.
The assailants reportedly fled through Abewo Road towards Kwara State. While attempts to reach the state Police Public Relations Officer, Afusat Saliu, were unsuccessful, she had earlier confirmed the incident.
She said security operatives had been deployed to the area, with efforts ongoing to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible.
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, Apostle Olaniyan Adebayo, revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) had earlier warned of potential attacks.
He 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.”
As of the time of filing this report, the affected church leadership had yet to issue official statements.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God, when contacted by Punch, declined comment, while a senior official said he had escalated the matter to the appropriate authorities.