Haunted mountains: How insecurity is emptying once-busy prayer sanctuaries

For decades, prayer mountains drew thousands of worshippers seeking healing, miracles, deliverance, divine encounters and spiritual renewal in serene, secluded environments. Today, however, many of these once-crowded spiritual retreats are being abandoned as kidnappings, bandit attacks, and rising insecurity across the country make worshippers increasingly wary of visiting locations that were once sacred sanctuaries, DANIEL AYANTOYE writes

Fourteen-year-old Kola Aina left home excited about church. The junior secondary school student had spent days looking forward to his church’s children’s anniversary celebration.

On Saturday, May 24, 2026, he was expected to join dozens of other children and worshippers at the Ori-Oke Ajaiye Prayer Ground in Ikerin-Opin, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, for an overnight vigil ahead of the event.

His guardian, Bukola Daramola, was too tired to accompany him.

The 63-year-old trader pleaded with him to stay home that night.

But Kola would not budge. He didn’t want to miss any of the activities lined up.

His friends had already arrived to call him for the programme, and he told his guardian not to worry, assuring her that they would see each other again the following day at church.

Neither of them knew it would be their final conversation.

As darkness enveloped the prayer mountain that night, worshippers settled into what was supposed to be a peaceful evening of worship and spiritual preparation.

Hymns echoed across the hilltop. Prayers rose into the night air. Children rehearsed for the anniversary celebration while adults engaged in fellowship in the tranquil surroundings of the retreat.

Then gunshots rang out.

The calm was shattered as armed bandits stormed the prayer ground, firing sporadically and sending terrified worshippers scrambling into nearby bushes and the surrounding darkness in search of safety.

Panic spread across the mountain.

When the attack ended, three worshippers lay dead.

18 others, including women and children, had been abducted.

Among those who never returned home was Kola. He was among those gunned down.

“My mum didn’t go to church that day because she was tired. She told Kola not to go too, but his friends came to call him.

“He begged her to allow him to go and told her they would see the next day at church. Later that night, some people who escaped from the attack came to tell her what had happened. Then we heard that Kola was among the people they killed,” Kola’s cousin, Gbolahan Jatto, told Saturday PUNCH.

To his family, Kola was far more than another victim of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity crisis.

His death left a deep emotional scar on the 63-year-old woman who had relied heavily on the teenager’s companionship since the death of her husband in November 2024.

“He was a gentle soul, a happy boy. He loved school. He loved serving God. He was focused and eager to learn,” Jatto said sorrowfully.

Shrinking attendance

From Kwara to Kogi, Oyo and other parts of the country, reports of kidnappings, abductions and violent attacks on remote prayer grounds and worship centres are fueling anxiety among worshippers and religious leaders.

Places once regarded as sanctuaries for spiritual renewal are increasingly being viewed as vulnerable targets for criminal gangs.

The consequences are becoming evident.

Attendance is shrinking. Worshippers are staying away. Night vigils are being cancelled, shortened or subjected to tighter security measures.

In June, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, one of Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal churches with more than 300 branches nationwide, suspended all overnight vigils and directed that church programmes across the country should end by 8 pm.

At Oluwawamiri Prayer Mountain in Adekanbi Community, Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State, the impact of the fear is impossible to miss.

A narrow road snakes through the quiet community before opening onto the hilltop prayer ground hidden among thick bushes and towering trees.

The atmosphere is calm but unsettling.

When our correspondent visited on a Wednesday afternoon, the silence was striking.

Leaves rustled gently in the breeze. Empty prayer spots stretched across the mountain. Structures that once hosted crowds of worshippers now sat largely deserted.

Only three workers, including a minister, were present.

“This mountain has had a lot of positive impact on the lives of people. But the issue of kidnapping and killing is the reason people no longer come as they used to. Before, there used to be a lot of crowd,” the cleric, who introduced himself as Apostle David Obakorede, said as he gazed across the largely empty grounds.

The fear is shared by Prophetess Regina Ademola, who has overseen the prayer mountain for more than two decades.

For years, she said, the mountain was known for testimonies and stories of answered prayers.

According to her, a woman previously diagnosed with infertility later conceived twins, while many who came seeking healing, employment, travel opportunities and other breakthroughs returned with testimonies.

Today, however, fear appears to have replaced faith for many worshippers.

The founder said, “People are scared, so they stopped coming. Even those who still come, and the staff members, we don’t allow them to stay for long because of the insecurity, and we also get security for special programmes.”

A similar visit to Ori-Oke Babalola, a prominent prayer mountain in Odo-Owa, Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, revealed a stark contrast to what the sacred site once represented.

The various sections of the mountain, which ordinarily hosted hundreds of worshippers daily, now lay eerily deserted.

The familiar sounds of prayers, worship songs, and spiritual retreats had given way to an unsettling silence.

Only a handful of workers moved around the premises carrying out routine maintenance.

The stillness across the hilltop reflected what residents described as a growing climate of fear.

One of the resident pastors at the mountain, Joseph Olaleye, said insecurity had severely affected activities there, resulting in a drastic decline in attendance.

He said, “The insecurity challenge is glaring and has affected this place negatively. Where we were seeing 100 people before, we now see less than 10. The situation has really made many people afraid. Fear can kill faster than anything.”

Testimonies fuel the movement

The continued appeal of prayer mountains is largely rooted in testimonies from worshippers who attribute life-changing experiences, divine encounters and answered prayers to their visits.

From miraculous healings and childbirth to employment opportunities and visa approvals, such accounts have continued to attract believers seeking solutions to life’s challenges.

In a testimony shared during a programme at Baba Abiye Prayer Mountain and posted on YouTube, a Lagos-based worshipper, Mrs Bode Opeyemi, recounted how her younger sibling secured a visa on the very day she climbed the mountain to pray over the application.

She said, “I prayed that the God of Baba Abiye should make the embassy give him a visa. I was still here on the prayer mountain when they called me to say that he had been granted the visa.”

Whether viewed through the lens of faith or personal conviction, such testimonies have helped transform prayer mountains into some of the most influential spiritual destinations in Nigerian Christianity.

However, that long-standing appeal now appears threatened as insecurity disrupts the sense of isolation and tranquillity that once made the mountains attractive to worshippers.

A 43-year-old woman, Mrs Bola Olaire, who spoke to our correspondent about Babalola Prayer Mountain in Odo-Owa, said she stopped visiting because of security concerns.

“There was a time, one of my sons who graduated from the university was looking for a job in Lagos after his NYSC. He told me about it, and I went to this mountain to pray with his photograph and a copy of his certificate. He got the job that same month.

“If not for these security issues, I used to visit the mountain every month-end from Ilorin to pray for my children. But now I can’t go there again. My lastborn always tells me that we don’t have N30 million to pay as ransom,” she said.

Business under threat

Beyond the spiritual concerns, growing insecurity around prayer mountains is taking a heavy toll on the local economies that depend on the steady flow of worshippers who visit the sites throughout the year.

From traders and food vendors to commercial motorcyclists and landlords, many residents said their livelihoods have suffered as the fear of kidnappings and attacks keeps worshippers away.

At Babalola Prayer Mountain, a pastor’s wife, Mrs Grace Folaranmi, who operates a small shop within the premises, confirmed that patronage had dropped drastically in recent months.

According to her, the decline in visitors has caused financial hardship for many small business owners who rely on worshippers for daily income.

She said, “Before, when people came in large numbers, we could make up to N20,000 daily. Now it has dropped to around N5,000 because it is mostly staff members here who buy things.”

The situation is similar in Odo-Owa, the community that serves as a gateway to the popular prayer mountain.

A food vendor, Mrs Ayo Olaoye, said religious programmes once attracted large crowds and boosted food sales.

“Before, I could cook a quarter bag of rice and sell everything before nightfall or, at worst, the next day. Now, the same quantity can take almost two weeks to finish,” she lamented.

Commercial motorcycle operators who transport worshippers to and from the prayer site said their incomes had also declined sharply.

Salawu Jimoh, who has operated in the area for several years, said fear of bandit attacks had changed both movement patterns and business opportunities.

He said, “Before, we took people to the mountain regularly, bought fuel, fed our families and still had savings of about N10,000. Now it is difficult to make N2,000 in a day.

“If you make N2,000 and return home without being kidnapped, you should thank God because everywhere is becoming unsafe.”

According to him, worshippers usually come from different parts of the country, including Ilorin, Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti states, with some arriving in the town late at night.

Another motorcyclist, Gbenga Olajide, said, “Before, I could make between N10,000 and N15,000 daily because I worked late into the night whenever there were programmes on the mountain. Now it is difficult to make N3,000. Night movement has practically stopped. By 7 pm, everybody is already heading home.”

The economic slowdown is also being felt by property owners in host communities.

A landlord in Adekanbi village, Ibadan, identified simply as Baba Ajayi, recalled how prayer mountains in the area once boosted commercial activities and provided residents with additional income.

According to him, some worshippers rent rooms for short stays while attending spiritual programmes.

“I once rented one of my rooms to a visitor who stayed for several days and paid well. But things have changed. Everywhere is dry now. There is fear everywhere because of bandits.”

For petty traders, the impact is reflected in dwindling daily sales.

Mrs Kemi Kareem, who sells eko, a traditional cornmeal pudding, said the reduction in visitors had forced her to cut back production.

“People used to pass here in large numbers whenever they were going to the mountains, and many of them bought eko from me. I used to cook a full pot. Now, I only prepare half a pot.”

Desecrated prayer sanctuaries

In recent years, a series of violent incidents has steadily eroded the sense of safety, serenity and spirituality associated with many prayer mountains and churches, replacing it with anxiety that now shadows even routine religious gatherings.

One of the most devastating incidents occurred in May 2026 when bandits stormed the Ori-Oke Ajaiye Prayer Mountain in Ikerin-Opin, Kwara State, during an overnight vigil, killing three people, including a security guard, and abducting several worshippers.

The attackers were later reported to have demanded a N1bn ransom for the victims’ release.

Similar attacks have been recorded at prayer mountains along the Agbaja Road axis of Lokoja, Kogi State, where worshippers attending night vigils were abducted by armed criminals.

This growing pattern of attacks has heightened fears among worshippers and religious leaders, raising concerns about the safety of remote prayer grounds.

Another incident that shattered the perception of spiritual spaces as safe places occurred in June 2022 in Owo, Ondo State, when armed men invaded St Francis Xavier Catholic Church during a Sunday Mass.

Worshippers were in the middle of the service when gunshots reverberated inside the sanctuary, leaving dozens dead and many others injured.

No ransom was demanded after the incident, as it was widely regarded as an indiscriminate mass killing rather than a kidnapping-for-ransom operation.

More recently, on January 18, 2026, bandits attacked three churches simultaneously in Kurmin Wali, a remote village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The assailants abducted more than 100 worshippers and subsequently demanded a N28.9 million ransom for their release.

Believers still visiting mountains

Despite growing concerns over insecurity, many Christians continue to visit prayer mountains across the country, convinced that the spiritual benefits outweigh the risks.

Undeterred worshippers

Despite growing concerns over insecurity, many Christians continue to visit prayer mountains across the country, convinced that the spiritual benefits outweigh the risks.

Checks by our correspondent showed that prayer programmes are still being held regularly on several mountains, with worshippers turning out in significant numbers.

On Friday, Oju Olorunkole Prayer Mountain in Akinyele, Ibadan, hosted the third day of a special programme that continued into the night.

A Facebook livestream of the event, monitored at about 8 pm, showed scores of worshippers gathered on the mountain, singing, praying and participating in various spiritual activities despite the late hour.

Similarly, a video posted by Ori-Oke Asepe Ogo on Facebook showed worshippers engaged in praise and prayer sessions at Ori-Oke Bethel City, Iju Agada, in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, on Sunday.

Another Facebook post by Ori-Oke Oluwa advertised a forthcoming night vigil tagged “Restoration Night”, scheduled for June 26, 2026.

In Osun State, one of the country’s most prominent prayer mountains, Ori-Oke Baba Abiye, has scheduled a four-day special programme from August 11 to 14, 2026.

Organised by Prophet Funso Akande, the programme is expected to be held in the secluded forest environment where the mountain is located.

The mountain also hosts a monthly night vigil tagged “Glory Restored”, held every last Friday of the month. The latest edition took place on May 29.

The continued stream of activities suggests that while insecurity may have reduced attendance at some locations, it has not diminished the faith of many worshippers or their willingness to seek spiritual encounters on the mountains.

Why worshippers keep returning

A Professor of Church History and Mission Studies at Kogi State University, Felix Enegho, said the enduring attraction of prayer mountains lies in the deep faith many believers place in them.

According to him, many worshippers view the mountains not merely as locations but as sacred spaces where they feel closer to God and protected by divine power.

He said, “Even with the insecurity in Nigeria, people still visit physical mountains. No matter how dangerous these places may appear, many believe that once they are there, not even kidnappers or terrorists can harm them.”

Similarly, a Professor of Religious Studies at Gombe State University, Adewale Ogunrinade, said many Christians believe prayer mountains help them achieve a deeper level of concentration and spiritual connection.

He said, “Some people feel that by climbing a mountain, they remove distractions and can concentrate fully on God. When they eventually get results, it reinforces their belief that it is the right way for them to pray.”

Stop risking your lives, clerics warn

Some Christian leaders, however, urged worshippers to exercise caution, stressing that God can answer prayers from anywhere.

The General Overseer of Peculiar Gospel Outreach Ministry, Pastor Joseph Babatunde, said the practice of seeking God on mountains should not be elevated above the biblical principle that God’s presence is everywhere.

He said, “Even when there was no insecurity, prayer could be offered anywhere. Now that insecurity is widespread, is it not better for people to stay away from such places rather than risk their lives?”

On his part, a former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Reverend Samson Ayokunle, said prayer on mountains remains significant. Still, worshippers should exercise caution because of the prevailing insecurity.

He said, “There is nothing wrong with the doctrine of prayer mountains. It is biblical.

“But if people are being kidnapped inside churches located in towns, how much more those who go deep into the bush? God can answer prayers without anyone going to a mountain.”

Religious tourism under threat

President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria, Dr Aliyu Badaki, warned that growing insecurity around some of these sites could undermine their appeal and threaten a sector that has contributed to local economies and faith-based travel for decades.

He warned that where the security situation becomes too dangerous, authorities and stakeholders must discourage visits until safety can be guaranteed.

Security experts react

Speaking on the matter, security expert and retired Major General Henry Ayoola said the current security situation in the country requires Nigerians to reassess activities that expose them to unnecessary risks.

According to him, the government lacks the capacity to deploy security personnel to the numerous prayer mountains scattered across the country.

“In a situation where there are security challenges like ours, people can avoid going to those mountains for now. It does not mean that you cannot access open heavens in your house,” he said.

Similarly, a Professor of Criminology and Vice-Chancellor of Unique Open University, Lagos, Evelyn Yusuf, said while faith remains important to many believers, personal safety should not be ignored.

She said, “When it comes to faith, people believe they are safe no matter the situation because they believe God is with them. However, whether you are on top of a mountain or in town, once it is 8 pm, what are you doing outside?”

 Reacting to the growing security concerns surrounding prayer mountains, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, Olayinka Ayanlade, advised religious leaders to avoid holding programmes in remote locations that are difficult for security personnel and emergency responders to access.

He said, “One thing we have realised is that some of these locations are difficult to access through any logistical means, and that in itself poses a risk because response time is crucial during emergencies.”

According to him, delayed access can hamper rescue efforts and reduce the effectiveness of security interventions during attacks or other emergencies.

Ayanlade added that the command had repeatedly engaged churches and operators of prayer mountains on the need to strengthen security arrangements, conduct risk assessments and improve collaboration with law enforcement agencies.

He stressed that while worshippers have the right to practise their faith, organisers must also take practical steps to ensure participants’ safety, especially amid growing insecurity. (Punch)