By SUNTV Global Channel | January 12, 2026
Three additional victims abducted during the deadly attack on an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Ayetoro-Kiri community, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, have regained their freedom, while 27 others remain in the custody of armed bandits more than four weeks after the incident.
The attack occurred on December 14, 2025, when heavily armed assailants invaded the church during a worship service, killing several worshippers and abducting dozens in one of the deadliest assaults in the Okun axis of the state.
SUNTV Global Channel gathered that as of January 1, 2026, only four victims had been released alive, while three others were confirmed dead. Two of the victims reportedly died while in captivity, while another later succumbed to injuries sustained during detention after being released and hospitalised.
In the latest development, local platform Egbe Mekun reported that three more abductees were freed on Monday, January 12, 2026, bringing the total number of released victims to seven.
Despite this progress, no fewer than 27 abducted worshippers are still being held, leaving families and the community in anguish, prayers and prolonged uncertainty.
It was further confirmed that the Ayetoro-Kiri community paid a ransom of ₦15 million in a desperate bid to secure the release of their loved ones. Community leaders disclosed that the funds were raised locally, with no financial assistance from either the state or federal government.
The incident has deepened fears over the worsening security situation in the Okun axis of Kogi State, where residents increasingly depend on self-help and negotiations with armed groups amid recurring attacks and kidnappings.
Residents are now questioning how long communities will continue to negotiate with bandits, pay huge ransoms and bury their dead, while armed groups operate with little visible intervention from security authorities.
Meanwhile, insecurity continues to spread across the state. In a related development, bandits reportedly collected a ₦6 million ransom from the family of a kidnapped farmer, Alabi Dada Babatege, popularly known as Old Soldier, but have refused to release him.
The abductors have since re-established contact with the family, demanding an additional ₦14 million and two Bajaj motorcycles as fresh conditions for his release.
Babatege was kidnapped on December 12, 2025, from his farm behind St. Kizito’s College in Isanlu, Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State. Eyewitnesses said the attackers struck in broad daylight, forcefully abducting him before fleeing into nearby bushes.
Despite paying the initial ransom under intense pressure, the kidnappers have escalated their demands, further highlighting the growing menace of banditry and the fragile security situation in Kogi State.
— SUNTV Global Channel
