Bandits demand N400m ransom for kidnapped Kogi church members and wedding guests

Kidnappers have demanded a sum of N400 million ransom to release eighteen victims, including four wedding guests and 14 church members, abducted in Kogi State.

14 worshippers including children, a three-week-old infant, a four-month-old baby, were abducted during service at Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State on November 30, 2025.

In the second attack, four wedding guests returning from Jos were forcefully abducted a few kilometres from their destination in Magongo village in Ogori/Magogo on December 8, 2025.

While the abductors have placed a ransom of N25 million on each of the four wedding guests, the set of kidnappers who abducted the 14 Church members are asking for N200 million in bulk. This brings the total ransom needed by the kidnappers to N400 million.

Their ransom was negotiated down from N500 million to the current N200 million.

The National President of the Magongo Development Association (MDA), Prince Jordan Akpata, confirmed to The Guardian that the kidnappers have communicated the ransom to the families of the victims.

It was gathered that the set of kidnappers who abducted the Pastor, wife and family members of the church have even issued a two-day ultimatum for the victims to produce the said ransom or face the “consequences”.

There is already heightened anxiety across the state over the lives of the victims, knowing that the Kogi State government has vowed not to negotiate with bandits and criminals in the state.

On November 30, 2025, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, confirmed the attack and strongly condemned it.

The government stated that Governor Usman Ododo was coordinating a manhunt involving conventional and local security networks.

The government also reiterated its stance against negotiating with bandits, stressing its capacity to confront criminal networks.