KEY POINTS
• A Living Faith Church pastor was kidnapped while heading to his farm in Okoro Gbedde
• The attack occurred along the Okeoffin to Okoro Gbedde road in Ijumu LGA
• No contact or ransom demand has been made by the abductors
Armed bandits on Saturday abducted a pastor of the Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners Chapel, in Okoro Gbedde, a community in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Residents said the pastor was on his way to his farm when he was intercepted by the assailants along the Okeoffin to Okoro Gbedde axis, a route frequently used by farmers and commercial motorcycle riders in the area.
The pastor was said to be travelling on a motorcycle with a commercial rider when the attackers emerged from nearby bush paths and blocked the road, forcing both men to stop.
Eyewitnesses told local sources that the sudden appearance of the armed men caused panic. On noticing the attackers, the pastor reportedly jumped off the motorcycle in an attempt to flee.
The commercial motorcycle rider was able to escape the scene without injury, while the pastor was overpowered by the kidnappers and taken away to an unknown destination.
A source familiar with the incident said the attackers acted swiftly, spending only a short time at the scene before disappearing into surrounding forested areas.
No contact from kidnappers
Hours after the abduction, there has been no communication from the kidnappers to the victim’s family or church, according to community sources. No ransom demand has also been made as of the time of reporting.
Church members said efforts were ongoing to gather information and alert security agencies, even as anxiety continued to grow within the congregation and the wider community.
The incident has deepened fear among residents of Okoro Gbedde and neighbouring towns, many of whom depend on farming and daily travel along rural roads for their livelihoods.
Community leaders said cases of kidnapping and bandit attacks have become increasingly frequent in parts of Kogi State, particularly in remote areas with limited security presence.
Local residents are calling on security agencies to increase patrols and surveillance in farming corridors and rural roads, warning that continued attacks could disrupt economic activities and force people to abandon their farms.
Authorities in the state were yet to issue an official statement on the abduction at the time of filing this report, as residents wait anxiously for the safe return of the pastor.
