Photos: 38 abducted Kwara worshippers reunite with families

The 38 church worshippers kidnapped in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have finally reunited with their families, days after the government announced their rescue.

The victims were abducted on November 18 during a thanksgiving service at CAC Oke Isegun, Eruku, where three people were killed and one injured.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the Chief Press Secretary to the Ekiti Local Government Chairman, Dada Sunday, said the abductees were formally handed over to the Ekiti LGA Chairman, Awelewa Olawale Gabriel, in Ilorin by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

He said the handover signalled the completion of a joint rescue operation involving federal and state security agencies.

Awelewa thanked President Bola Tinubu, Governor AbdulRazaq, the National Security Adviser and security agencies for what he described as a swift intervention. He also commended the medical care provided to the victims after their rescue, assuring residents that security in all 10 wards of the LGA would be strengthened.

The freed worshippers arrived in Eruku around 6:30pm on Tuesday and were received by jubilant relatives and community members.

Similarly, the Owa of Eruku praised the rescue effort, noting that the community had been in distress since the incident.

The attack again highlights growing insecurity in Kwara’s border communities, especially in Ekiti LGA, which has witnessed several abductions in recent years.