The Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Oke Isegun, Eruku, in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Sunday held a solemn service inside its blood-splattered auditorium, praying for the safe return of kidnapped members and the repose of those killed in Tuesday’s deadly attack by suspected bandits.
The church officially confirmed that 38 worshippers were abducted during the attack, contrary to earlier social media claims that over 60 were taken. Church secretary, Michael Agbabiaka, said the church initially compiled 35 names of abducted members, but further checks revealed that three non-members were among those taken away, bringing the total number to 38.
“The rumour that over 60 people were kidnapped is not true. I have a list with their phone numbers. We don’t want any misinformation. We have 38 people inside the bush. Three died, and one victim is in the hospital receiving treatment,” he said.
Agbabiaka added that the kidnappers, who initially demanded N100 million per victim, later reduced the ransom to N20 million each after negotiations, before cutting off communication with families on Friday. He noted that although fear still enveloped the community, the church encouraged worshippers to attend Sunday service as an act of faith and solidarity.
“We thank God for life today. You can see that only a few people came because it has not been easy. But God gave us courage. We also thank the government for deploying security. They are patrolling the town, and even here in the church, security operatives are present,” he said.
Earlier in his sermon, the presiding pastor, Bamidele Lawrence, described the attack as a test of faith for the congregation. Quoting 2 Peter 3:10, he assured worshippers that divine intervention was imminent.
“The first promise God gave me is that all our kidnapped members will gain freedom very soon. They will not die in captivity. God says He will assist us. Our children, mothers and wives will come out strong. It will be a miracle to the world when our people regain their freedom,” he declared.
He also urged the congregation not to succumb to fear, saying Nigeria’s worsening insecurity was part of biblical prophecies about the end times and would ultimately attract divine intervention.
One of the affected worshippers, James Ige, whose wife and son were among the abducted, appealed to authorities to intensify rescue efforts. “I beg the government and security agencies to do everything within their capacity to bring my family back safely,” he said.
Although Kwara State is often regarded as relatively peaceful compared to many North-West and North-Central states, banditry has grown steadily over the past five years, particularly along border communities such as Eruku, Obbo Aiyegunle, Koro, and Osi.
Frontliners.com.ng findings revealed that these towns sit close to the Kogi and Ekiti forest belts, which security operatives have repeatedly identified as hideouts for kidnappers, armed robbers, and cattle-rustling gangs who exploit the rugged terrain and porous interstate boundaries to evade arrest. The attacks often target travellers, farmers, worship centres, and rural households, with victims forced to pay millions of naira in ransom.
In 2024 and 2025, Kwara witnessed a spike in incidents, including mass abductions, deadly highway ambushes, and night raids on remote communities. Security analysts attribute the rise to the displacement of criminal groups from neighbouring states due to intensified military operations, leading some bandits to seek new safe havens in Kwara’s forested borders.
The state government has launched several joint security patrols and community policing initiatives, but residents say more coordinated efforts are needed to curb the expanding threat and prevent further tragedies like the Eruku church attack.
