Kogi church abductions: Bandits issue 48-hour deadline, slash ransom to ₦200m as families beg for help

By Johnson Arua

Bandits who abducted 14 worshippers from a Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West LGA of Kogi State, have given the victims’ families a two-day ultimatum to pay a reduced ransom of ₦200 million, down from an initial ₦500 million.

Reports have it that the kidnappers warned that failure to meet the demand within the 48-hour deadline would lead to unspecified “consequences” for the hostages.

The victims were kidnapped on November 30, 2025, when the armed gang stormed the newly established church during a service. Among the 14 abductees were the presiding pastor, popularly known as Pastor Orlando, and seven members of his household, including six children. The hostages also include a three-week-old baby and a four-month-old infant.

A video circulating on social media shows a heart-wrenching plea from the pastor’s family. In the clip, four women, including Pastor Orlando’s elderly wife—who was abducted along with the children—are seen kneeling and begging Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo to intervene.

The elderly woman cried out:
“Please, come to our rescue. The amount the kidnappers are demanding is beyond our means.”

As the deadline nears, the atmosphere around Ejiba has become increasingly tense.

Although some relatives claimed the government had remained silent since the attack, official records show that the Kogi State Government promptly confirmed the incident on the day it occurred.

On November 30, the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, condemned the attack and announced that Governor Ododo had ordered a coordinated manhunt involving both conventional security forces and local vigilante networks.

The government also reiterated its policy of not negotiating with criminals, vowing instead to “confront and dismantle” criminal networks across the state.

On December 3, troops of the 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, Lokoja, reported the rescue of six kidnapped victims from the Ejiba–Saminaka forest corridor, attributing the breakthrough to sustained military pressure. However, eight victims—including Pastor Orlando and the children—remain in captivity, and their fate hangs in the balance as the ransom deadline approaches.