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At least 20 people, including a pastor and a bride, have been abducted in two separate attacks in Nigeria’s central and northern regions, underscoring a persistent wave of kidnappings targeting schools and places of worship.
On Sunday, gunmen stormed a newly established Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Kogi State, firing shots and sending congregants fleeing.
The attackers seized the pastor, his wife, and several worshippers.
Kogi State Government spokesperson Kingsley Fanwo confirmed the incident but could not provide exact numbers.
Read more: 50 abducted Nigerian schoolchildren reportedly escape, but over 250 still held
“The security network, comprising the conventional security agencies and the local security architecture are currently doing what they should do,” he told the BBC.
In a related raid the previous night in Sokoto State, a bride and her bridesmaids were abducted, along with a baby, the baby’s mother, and another woman.
Local media reported that the bride had been preparing for her wedding ceremony when the attackers struck.
Analysts say many of the kidnappings are carried out by criminal gangs seeking ransom, though a presidential spokesperson told the BBC that jihadist groups may also be involved.
The latest attacks come as schools and churches face rising threats, with some 250 schoolchildren and 12 teachers still missing following a major assault.
Authorities have vowed to track down the perpetrators.
The surge in abductions has deepened concerns over the safety of rural communities.
Although ransom payments are officially outlawed, many believe they continue, fuelling the lucrative kidnapping industry.
The crisis drew international attention last month after former US President Donald Trump threatened to send troops if attacks on Christians continued — a claim Nigerian officials dispute, stressing that victims cut across all faiths.
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