The gunmen stormed the newly established church, triggering panic as worshippers and nearby residents fled for safety.

In a statement, Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, described the incident as “very sad and unfortunate,” confirming that security agencies and the state government have launched intensive operations to rescue the victims.

Fanwo suggested the attackers had been hiding in or around the community for days, possibly unnoticed by locals.

“Those who struck at Ejiba must have been hiding in the community for some days or in bushes around the village,” he said. 

“Some villagers would have seen them and kept quiet. If you refuse to raise alarms when you see strange faces at this time, who knows who will be the next victim?”

The commissioner urged residents to be vigilant and report suspicious movements, stressing that community intelligence is critical in the fight against insecurity.

He also cautioned against holding religious services in isolated or unsecured locations, especially in light of recent abductions.

“Worshipping in the bush without security in this era  just weeks after worshippers were abducted from a church in Kwara State — is not ideal,” Fanwo said. 

“We all need to be security conscious and volunteer intelligence.”He noted that Ejiba has suffered repeated attacks despite efforts by the state government and Yagba West council to secure border areas.

Fanwo further advised citizens to avoid unnecessary travel, especially along known danger zones, and to refrain from sharing movement plans publicly.

The incident comes barely two weeks after gunmen abducted worshippers from a Christ Apostolic Church branch in Oke Isegun, Eruku, a community on the Kwara-Kogi border. 

President Bola Tinubu announced last Sunday that all victims from that attack had been rescued.

Security forces have intensified patrols and operations in the area as efforts continue to locate and free those taken from the Ejiba church.