Seventeen more members of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) have finally regained their freedom after being held captive by bandits in Kogi State.
The worshippers, who were snatched during a church service in Aiyetoro Kiri Bunu, were released following a long period of negotiation and the payment of a hefty ransom.
The breakthrough comes as a massive relief to the Aiyetoro Kiri Bunu community, which has been under intense pressure since the mass abduction on December 14, 2025.
It was gathered that the Aiyetoro Kiri Bunu Development Association worked closely with the families of the victims to pull together the resources needed to satisfy the demands of the kidnappers.
While this batch of releases brings the total number of freed victims to 24, the victory is bittersweet for the community.
During the first week of January, seven people were initially let go, but only four returned home alive. Two of the captives died while in the forest, and another passed away shortly after being rushed to the hospital following their release.
Currently, 13 members of the congregation are still missing and believed to be in the hands of the terrorists.
The community association has made it clear that they will not stop until everyone is back home, though they have expressed deep frustration over the lack of government involvement in these specific negotiations.
Local sources indicate that the families had to rely entirely on community contributions and private efforts, as the state government was reportedly not part of the talks that led to these recent successes.
Residents are still calling for a more permanent security presence in the area to prevent a repeat of the “Black Sunday” attack that saw over 30 people dragged into the bush during worship.