Nine parishioners were abducted by armed men on Sunday evening at a Catholic church in central Nigeria while they were attending vespers, police said. The nine individuals were kidnapped during a night vigil as worshippers were praying at St. John’s Catholic Church.
Benue State, where the abduction occurred, is frequently affected by violence linked to conflicts between farmers and herders over access to land and natural resources. The region is also plagued by kidnappings for ransom carried out by armed criminal groups commonly referred to as “bandits”.
The surge in mass abductions recorded toward the end of 2025 highlighted the severity of Nigeria’s security crisis, triggering strong reactions on the international stage, including from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
In response, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency and launched a large-scale recruitment drive within the armed forces and police to combat persistent insecurity. Despite these measures, kidnappings continue to rise in several parts of the country.