Protestant Congregation Welcomes Returning Abductees and Grieves for the Martyrs
(Aiyetoro Kiri, Bunu County, Kogi State) — As a hostage drama unfolds in Kaduna State, another one concludes in Kogi State in Nigeria’s West central region. (See related story by Mike Odeh James in today’s site)
“This is God at work. We are grateful for the safe return of our remaining brothers and sisters,” said Pastor Samuel Olatunji Adebola, minister of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Aiyetoro-Kiri, speaking to TruthNigeria shortly after the final abductees returned.
After more than five weeks in captivity, six Christian worshippers abducted from a Kogi church during a December 14 terror attack walked free this week, bringing a traumatic kidnapping saga to a close and underscoring the continued expansion of ransom-driven terrorism across Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
The Aiyetoro Kiri Bunu Development Association (AKBDA) confirmed the release on Tuesday, saying freedom for the final captives followed prolonged negotiations and heavy financial sacrifices by families and community leaders.
Earlier batches of abductees were released between January 1 and January 13, 2026, but several victims did not survive captivity, leaving the community deeply scarred.
Voices From the Forest
In a telephone interview with TruthNigeria, Mr. Joseph Adekunle Ajayi, one of six recently released hostages, described life inside the forest camps where the abductees were held.
“They were Fulanis. They spoke Fulani (Fulfulde) among themselves and sometimes Hausa when talking to us,” Ajayi said.
“We were moved constantly, deeper into the forest, I think towards communities close to Niger state. Food was scarce, and beatings followed any delay in ransom talks.”
Another worshipper, Mr. Matthew Olorunfemi Ojo, who was released earlier in January, gave a similar account in a separate phone interview with TruthNigeria.
“They told us the forest was their home, and nobody could rescue us,” Ojo said.
“They followed radio news and used it to pressure our families to pay ransom.”
The December 14 Church Attack
The abduction occurred on Sunday, December 14, 2025, when armed Fulani ethnic militia terrorists stormed the ECWA church during morning worship, firing gunshots to trigger panic and force worshippers into surrounding forest routes.
Witnesses said the attackers emerged from forest cover less than 500 meters behind the church, seizing men, women, and elderly worshippers. Some were forced onto motorcycles, while others were marched barefoot through bush paths toward the Bunu–Kabba forest axis, a sparsely monitored corridor linking Kogi, Kwara, and Niger States, North Central Nigeria.
At least one worshipper was killed during the raid, residents said, while dozens were dragged into captivity.
The initial abduction was reported by TheCable.
TruthNigeria previously reported the attack and early rescue efforts, documenting how local hunters and community guards tracked forest routes used by the kidnappers amid the absence of permanent security outposts in the area.
Vulnerable Forest Belt
Aiyetoro Kiri lies deep inside Okunland, the Yoruba-speaking part of Kogi State, about 40 kilometers from Kabba and roughly 150 kilometers southwest of Lokoja, the state capital.
Access to the community is mainly via narrow roads cutting through farms and dense savannah forest.
Security analysts describe the area as part of a “forest belt of vulnerability,” where weak state presence allows armed groups to move freely, hide hostages, and negotiate ransoms.
“This was not random criminality,” said Colonel Hassan Adekeye (rtd.), a former military intelligence officer based in Abuja, said to TruthNigeria.
“It showed planning, logistics, and deep familiarity with the terrain.”
Ransom Negotiations and Death in Captivity
Negotiations began soon after the attack. On January 1, 2026, seven abductees were released after families and community leaders raised about ₦15 million (approximately $10,500) to meet part of the ransom demand. Yet only four returned alive.
Two victims died in captivity, while another died shortly after being rushed to a hospital, according to community officials and Sahara Reporters.
Community sources told TruthNigeria that the cumulative ransom paid over five weeks exceeded ₦38 million (about $26,500), raised through the sale of livestock, farm produce, and emergency levies imposed on households.
Talks continued quietly. Three worshippers were freed on January 12, followed by 14 more on January 13, before the final six were released this week, AKBDA officials said.
“Each stage required fresh payments,” said Ajayi Omolehin, an executive of AKBDA.
“Families were exhausted financially, but survival came first.”
A Pattern Repeating Across Nigeria
Security experts say the Aiyetoro Kiri abduction reflects a broader pattern of church-targeted kidnappings across Nigeria.
“Faith communities are increasingly targeted because of predictable gathering times and limited protection,” Dr. Sarah Adunni, a counterterrorism analyst based in Kogi said to TruthNigeria.
TruthNigeria recently reported a related mass abduction of an ECWA congregation in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru County, Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria, reinforcing concerns that church attacks are spreading along interconnected forest corridors.
Despite relief, fear still grips Aiyetoro Kiri. Churches now worship cautiously, while farms near forest edges have been abandoned, disrupting livelihoods.
“Once the sun sets, everywhere goes quiet. The forest feels closer now.”, said Samuel Olorunfemi, a community elder in Kabba-Bunu county.
Residents are calling for a permanent security presence, warning that without it, the cycle of abduction and ransom payments will return.
Onibiyo Segun reports on terrorism and conflict for TruthNigeria.
