Nigeria Church Attack Kills, Abducts Worshippers

Police officers stands guard along road in Nigeria

— EKITI, Nigeria

Armed men stormed an Apostolic Church of Christ in southwestern Nigeria on Tuesday evening, killing a pastor and abducting several worshippers, said survivors who confirmed the attack that took place in Eda Oniyo, a town in the Ilejemeje Local Government Area of ​​Ekiti State. 

According to witnesses, a large group of assailants stormed the church, located on the outskirts of the town, during a service. Local authorities have not yet confirmed the number of people abducted as families continue search for the missing.

“There were many attackers. They killed the pastor and took some of the congregation. We are still trying to determine the exact number of victims,” a resident told Gazette Africa.

The latest attact has exacerbated concerns about the deteriorating security situation in rural Nigeria, where armed groups often referred to as bandits regularly commit murders and mass kidnappings for ransom. Churches and schools are increasingly being targeted.