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Gunmen abduct at least 20 in separate attacks across Nigeria
Armed assailants kidnapped at least 20 people, including a pastor and a bride, in two separate raids over the weekend in Nigeria's Kogi and Sokoto states, officials and local media reported Monday. The incidents mark the latest in a surge of abductions targeting schools, churches, and rural communities.
Church attack in Kogi state
Gunmen stormed the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Kogi state, on Sunday, firing shots and triggering panic among worshippers. The attackers abducted the pastor, his wife, and several congregants, according to Kogi state government spokesman Kingsley Fanwo. Authorities have not confirmed the exact number of victims but stated that security forces-including federal agencies and local units-are pursuing the kidnappers.
"The security network, comprising the conventional security agencies and the local security architecture, are currently doing what they should do," Fanwo told the BBC.
Bride and guests seized in Sokoto state
In a separate overnight raid in predominantly Muslim Sokoto state, gunmen abducted a bride preparing for her wedding the following morning, along with her bridesmaids, a baby, the baby's mother, and another woman, AFP reported. Local media said the victims included guests who had gathered to support the bride ahead of the ceremony.
Wider crisis and government response
The abductions follow a pattern of escalating attacks on vulnerable targets. Over 250 schoolchildren and 12 teachers remain missing after a mass kidnapping in recent weeks, though some victims from other raids have been released. While ransom payments were outlawed to disrupt the kidnapping economy, analysts suspect underground payments continue to fuel the crisis.
Nigerian officials reject claims that Christians are specifically targeted, emphasizing that victims span all faiths. The violence has drawn international attention, including a recent threat from former US President Donald Trump to deploy troops unless Nigeria curbs attacks on Christians-a assertion local analysts dispute as oversimplified.
Pressure mounts on authorities
The latest abductions underscore persistent security gaps in rural areas, intensifying calls for stronger protections for schools, churches, and isolated communities. Analysts attribute most kidnappings to criminal gangs seeking ransom, though a presidential spokesman told the BBC that jihadist groups may also be involved.
