Armed gunmen have killed one worshiper and abducted at least 20 others from a church in Kogi State, Nigeria.
The attack occurred at First ECWA Church on Sunday, with gunmen firing sporadically to create panic, according to Sahara Reporters.
Local media reports suggest the number of worshipers abducted could be higher.
Zaccheus Dare Michael, chairman of the local council, criticized the church for holding a service amid tensions, according to Vanguard Media.
It is the second attack on a church in Kogi State in recent weeks. The pastor, his wife, and several members of the congregation were abducted from the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. The incident came on the same day a bride-to-be and her bridesmaids were kidnapped while preparing for a wedding service in Sokoto State, along with a baby, the baby’s mother, and another woman.
Christians in predominantly northern Nigeria have been targeted in a spate of attacks by Boko Haram jihadists and Fulani herdsmen extremists.
Nigerian officials have asked France for greater support in combating the violence.