No fewer than 12 worshippers were killed and several others injured when gunmen attacked a church service in Ankpa town, Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The attackers on Sunday reportedly stormed the United Evangelical Church in the early hours of the service, opening fire on congregants and causing panic among worshippers.
Witnesses said the assailants arrived on motorcycles and shot sporadically before fleeing the scene.
An eyewitness and survivor, Yahaya Victor Abubakar, who said he narrowly escaped the attack with left thumb injury as result of cutlass cut by terrorist, alongside his mother, Eleojo Mercy Negedu, told reporters that the gunmen targeted the church during a thanksgiving service attended by members and their relatives.
According to him, “They came on motorcycles and went straight into the church. They were shooting at people. The pastor, his wife and several others were killed. Many people were injured while trying to escape.”
Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she heard multiple gunshots and saw worshippers running for safety.
“We started hearing gunshots and people screaming. Some of the attackers set part of the church property on fire before leaving,” she stated.
Several local sources said the attack left the church building damaged after it was doused with petrol.
Community members described the incident as one of the deadliest assaults on a place of worship in the area in recent times and a coordinated attack targeting Christians in the region.
A security source in the state, who preferred not to be named, confirmed that armed groups have recently been active in parts of Kogi and neighbouring states, raising concerns among residents.
When contacted, the Kogi State Police Command confirmed the incident.
The command’s spokesperson told our reporter that officers were deployed to the scene following a distress call.
He added that investigations were ongoing and assured that efforts were being intensified to apprehend those responsible.
The attack has heightened fears among Christian communities in parts of northern and central Nigeria, where incidents involving armed groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP targeting villages and places of worship have become a growing concern.
Religious leaders and civil society organisations have repeatedly called for stronger security measures to protect vulnerable communities and Christians.
As of the time of filing this report, security operatives remained in the area, while injured victims were said to be receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility.
In the last three years, more than 1,000 Christians have been killed, and many security personnel have also lost their lives in northern Nigeria, as terrorists intensify deadly and coordinated attacks, overwhelming security agencies in parts of the region.
Dis man wey dem dey call Yahaya Victor go pay with im life once we catch am. E don talk too much blasphemy, and wetin happen to the 12 them kill go still happen to am too.