Kogi Governor Deploys Helicopter to Anti-Kidnapping Squad After Church Attack in Ejiba
Sahara Reporters, a prominent Nigerian investigative news outlet, reported on November 30, 2025, that Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has provided a helicopter to the state’s anti-kidnapping squad as part of an intensified aerial and ground security operation.
The deployment came in direct response to a brazen bandit attack earlier that same day on the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area (LGA), where armed bandits abducted the church’s pastor, his wife, and several worshippers during a Sunday service.
The reason for the urgent provision of the helicopter was to enhance surveillance, enable rapid aerial patrols, and facilitate a swift manhunt to track down the perpetrators and rescue the victims, underscoring the governor’s commitment to eradicating violent crimes in the region.
Prior to the official launch of the operation, Governor Ododo coordinated the efforts through his administration’s security architecture. In a statement relayed by Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, the governor emphasized the state’s zero-tolerance policy toward criminality. Commissioner Fanwo quoted the governor as saying,
“The perpetrators already know that Kogi will do everything possible to secure every one of its citizens abducted.”
He further assured the public that “the security network, comprising conventional security agencies and the local security architecture, is currently doing what they should do,” with the Yagba West Local Government Council actively collaborating to ensure the safe return of all victims.
Before the dispatching of the helicopter, he said.
“We will give no room for criminals to operate. This helicopter and our special squad will go after the attackers until every abducted citizen is rescued.”
He added that the deployment was necessary to “restore calm”
Bandit Abductted Ejiba’s Cherubim and Seraphim Church members
The attack unfolded in the early hours of Sunday, November 30, 2025, at the newly established Cherubim and Seraphim Church in the remote Ejiba community, Yagba West LGA, Kogi State.
Eyewitness accounts and security reports detailed a coordinated assault by suspected bandits, who reportedly deployed a drone for reconnaissance shortly before storming the premises during an ongoing worship service.
The gunmen, armed with sophisticated weapons, burst into the church around dawn, targeting the congregation as they gathered for prayers.
In the ensuing chaos, the bandits specifically abducted the church’s pastor, identified as pastor Orlando, along with his wife and at least 11 other worshippers, making a total of at least 13 victims.
Noting that the assailants whisked away the group into the surrounding forests along the Ayere-Kabba highway, a known hotspot for criminal activities.
No fatalities were reported, but the church premises were left in disarray, with scattered pews and abandoned personal items serving as grim reminders of the violation.
Local residents described hearing sporadic gunshots and cries for help, but the remote location delayed initial response times.
The Kogi State Government later verified the details, labeling the incursion a “reprehensible assault on innocent worshippers.”
Mixed Public Reactions to the Governor’s Security Initiative
News of Governor Ododo’s helicopter deployment elicited a spectrum of responses from Kogi residents and Nigerians on social media platforms like X and Facebook, reflecting both optimism and lingering skepticism amid the state’s ongoing security challenges.
Many locals and online commentators praised the swift action as a proactive measure, with one X user, @Naijawide01, posting on November 30, 2025, “Security response underway! Helicopter & special team deployed after the terror attack on Cherubim & Seraphim Church in Ejiba kudos to Gov Ododo for not wasting time!” Similar sentiments echoed on Facebook groups, where users in Yagba West communities expressed relief, calling it a “game-changer” for rural security and urging sustained operations.
However, not all reactions were unequivocally positive. Critics, including some civil society activists and opposition voices, questioned the effectiveness of such high-tech interventions in a region plagued by underfunded local policing.
A viral thread on X highlighted concerns over recurring attacks despite previous promises, with one commenter stating, “Helicopter today, but what about intelligence to prevent tomorrow’s raid? Prayers for the abducted, but we need roots addressed, not just branches.”
Others voiced frustration at the bandits’ apparent use of drones, interpreting it as a sign of escalating threats that demand federal intervention beyond state resources.
There was indicated divided opinions in Ejiba, where some worshippers’ families appreciated the visibility of the response but pleaded for immediate rescues, fearing prolonged captivity in the forests
A Call for Sustained Vigilance and Unity
The deployment of a surveillance helicopter and an anti-kidnapping squad by Governor Ododo underscores the urgency and seriousness with which the Kogi State government is responding to rising insecurity.
While many applaud the rapid reaction, others stress that long-term security reforms not only emergency responses are essential to prevent future attacks. The success of this operation will ultimately depend on whether the abducted victims are safely rescued and whether lasting measures are put in place to protect vulnerable communities
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