A Catholic priest was recently abducted by gunmen in Kogi State, Nigeria. Rev. Fr. Wilfred Ezemba, the parish priest of St. Paul Parish in Agaliga-Efabo, Olamaboro Local Government Area, was kidnapped on Saturday, September 13, 2025, while traveling on the Imane Ogugu road in Imane, Olamaboro LGA.
He was taken along with several unidentified commuters. As of September 15, 2025, the kidnappers had not contacted the family or church to demand ransom, according to a fellow priest, Rev. Fr. Michael. Security agencies, including the Kogi State Police Command, military troops, and the Kogi East Neighbourhood Watch, are actively searching nearby forests for the abductors. The Kogi State Police spokesman, SP Williams Aya, confirmed that the command had not yet received a formal briefing but was investigating.
This incident follows a pattern of insecurity in the region, including the abduction of a lawyer, Barrister A.B. Shaibu, in the same LGA on September 7, 2025, who was released after ransom was paid. The Nigeria Bar Association’s Idah Branch has urged enhanced security measures amid rising kidnappings in Kogi East
