The spiritual leader of the Christian Evangelical Fellowship of Nigeria (CEFN) Church in Itobe, Kogi State, Pastor Friday Adehi, and another church member, Gabriel Ezekiel, have been reportedly abducted by gunmen.
Naijaonpoint understands that the incident occurred shortly after Sunday’s church service on 24th August 2025 when the victims were on their way home.
It was gathered that Pastor Adehi and Ezekiel were returning to their residence in Itobe from Ojodu, where they had attended a naming ceremony for another member of the church when the incident happened.
They were reportedly travelling on a motorcycle when they encountered the kidnappers along the Ajegwu-Ojodu Road in the Ofun Local Government Area.
According to Vanguard, eyewitnesses confirmed that the two church members were ambushed and abducted at gunpoint.
An eyewitness said: “The incident happened between 3 and 4 pm on Sunday. The pastor and another man were riding on a motorcycle when the kidnappers, lying in wait, emerged suddenly. They stopped them at gunpoint and forced them into the bush.”
Following the abduction, local vigilantes, working in collaboration with the military, have intensified efforts to track down the kidnappers.
Sources indicated that joint efforts have been made to clear the bushes along the road from Itobe to Anyigba, with the aim of exposing the kidnappers who often lay ambush by the roadside.
Despite this initiative, which has been sponsored by Dr. Simeon Oyigu, the gunmen remain active in the area, continuing to pose a threat to commuters.
Church Calls for Prayers and Fasting
In response to the abduction, the CEFN Church, along with other Christian groups, has launched a period of prayers and fasting, seeking divine intervention for the safe return of the pastor and Ezekiel.
The church community is praying for God’s intervention to bring the victims home unharmed and to put an end to the growing security challenges in the region.
In light of the kidnapping, two prominent Igala socio-cultural organisations, the Igala Cultural Development Association (ICDA) and Ukomu Igala, have also called on the Kogi state government to prioritise the deployment of drone technology.
The organisations believe that drones will help authorities effectively track kidnappers and bandits who use the dense forests in the region as hideouts for their criminal activities.
A spokesperson for the groups said: “The use of drones will enhance the efforts of the joint task force in their fight against criminals and enable them to achieve better results in the forests.”
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