Breaking: 38 Abducted Kwara Church worshippers regain freedom

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State has announced the release of the 38 worshippers who were abducted by bandits from the Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku.

The attack occurred on Tuesday, 18 November 2025, when armed bandits stormed the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Isegun, Eruku, during a service.

The gunmen fired shots to create panic before seizing dozens of worshippers and forcing them into the surrounding forest.

During the raid, five people were killed, while the attackers made away with 38 worshippers, prompting widespread fear across the Ekiti Local Government Area.

The kidnappers later demanded a ransom initially reported at ₦100 million per victim, which was subsequently said to have been reduced to about ₦20 million each.

However, AbdulRazaq in a statement said the 38 abducted worshippers were freed on 23 November after days of coordinated efforts by security agencies and government representatives.

The statement added that Governor AbdulRazaq was pleased to confirm their release, describing it as the outcome of a hands-on intervention by President Bola Tinubu.

According to the statement, the President cancelled his scheduled trip to the G20 meeting in South Africa to address the security breaches in Kwara and Kebbi States, and ordered heightened security deployments to affected areas.

It noted that the directive led to the deployment of four new tactical police teams to Kwara State.

The governor also expressed appreciation to the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Intelligence Agency and the Nigeria Police Force for their roles in securing the victims’ freedom.

He further thanked community leaders, religious institutions and residents of the state for their support throughout the ordeal.