The bandits who abducted worshippers from the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Igan, Eruku, in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have reportedly demanded N100m ransom per victim.
According to the pastor in charge of the church, Lawrence Bamidele, between 30 and 35 worshippers were abducted in the Tuesday evening violent attack during the church’s service.
Multiple family sources and community leaders confirmed to The PUNCH on Thursday that the kidnappers had commenced contacting relatives of the victims, using the phones of the abductees.
The Secretary of the CAC assembly, Elder Josiah Agbabiaka, told The PUNCH that some families had already been reached by the abductors.
“It is true that the bandits have started contacting family members using the victims’ phones to demand ransom,” Agbabiaka said.
“From what we were told, they grouped the victims. The first group of 11 people has been asked to pay N100m each.”
Also confirming the development, the Olori Eta of Eruku, Chief Olusegun Olukotun, whose four family members were among those abducted, said the kidnappers were reaching out systematically.
“Some people in the community have received calls from the kidnappers demanding N100m for each person. They said the victims were grouped, and they are calling each group’s relatives,” he told The PUNCH.
Olukotun, who narrated that he was inside the church with five members of his family during the attack, said he managed to escape through a window while others were taken away.
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of the town, Owa of Eruku, Oba Busari Olarewaju, has appealed for urgent government intervention to ensure the safe rescue of the victims.
The monarch commended the swift deployment of military personnel to the community following the visit of the state governor, but stressed that more needed to be done.
“Last night, soldiers entered our community minutes after the governor visited. Their presence gave us some assurance that the government is responding,” the monarch said.
“But we are still appealing that efforts should be intensified to rescue our people as quickly as possible.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the command had not received any official report of ransom demand.
“We are not aware of any demand for ransom or contact made to the family members of the victims,” she said when contacted on Thursday.
“Our tactical teams, alongside the military and other security agencies, are on ground and making concerted efforts to rescue the abducted victims.”
Ejire-Adeyemi added that the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, had urged community members and relatives of the abducted persons to provide timely information that could aid the operation.
“The CP assures residents that the police will continue to do everything possible to secure lives and property in Kwara State,” she added.
The attack on the Eruku church is the latest in a series of violent incidents that have rattled communities across Kwara State in recent months.
The recent incidents have heightened fears over the growing reach of banditry in Kwara, a state historically considered one of the safer in the North-Central region.
CAN condemns attack
On Thursday, the Christian Association of Nigeria condemned the Kwara church attack, describing it as “a heartbreaking reminder of the growing insecurity facing Christian communities across the country.”
In a statement on Thursday, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, expressed “sadness over the violent attack on Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, where worshippers were killed and several others abducted during a prayer service.”
“We stand in solidarity with the families who lost loved ones, with those injured, with the abducted, and with the entire Eruku community. Their pain is our collective pain,” Okoh said.
He urged security agencies to act swiftly to rescue the abducted worshippers, insisting that a transparent investigation is needed to uncover how the attack occurred, identify security lapses and bring the perpetrators to justice.
According to Okoh, the incident “adds to a pattern of repeated assaults on Christian populations in vulnerable regions,” noting that CAN has repeatedly warned the government and the international community about rising attacks, despite official attempts to downplay fears of targeted violence.
“We will continue to monitor developments closely and engage with authorities to ensure that victims of the Eruku attack receive justice and that Christian communities across Nigeria are better protected,” he added.
Residents, council chair clash
Residents, youths, vigilante members and some security operatives, on Thursday, openly traded words the Chairman of Eruku LGA, Awelewa Olawale Gabriel, over alleged negligence and weak support for local security operations.
Community members accused the chairman of abandoning the troubled area despite months of recurring abductions and attacks.
A youth leader, Shola Peters, alleged that the chairman “does not pick calls — not from residents, not from the monarch, not when we need to give security updates.”
“Since he was sworn in, he stays only in Osi,” Peters alleged. “He hardly visits other parts of the LGA despite all the kidnappings.”
Another resident, Funmi Anifowose, said dwindling support from the council had weakened the local vigilante network that once kept the community safe.
“Our vigilantes used to keep the town secure, but now they don’t have ammunition,” she said. “I’m a farmer, but I can’t go to my farm for fear of being kidnapped. The chairman we voted for is not accessible; he doesn’t even stay at the secretariat.”
Vigilante members and a security operative attached to a special squad in the area echoed similar concerns, accusing the council of ignoring repeated requests for operational support.
“Patrolling from Osi to Eruku is about 120 kilometres. They give us just 25 litres of fuel,” one operative said, adding that initial promises made to the team had not been fulfilled.
But responding on behalf of the council chairman, the Speaker of Ekiti LGA Legislative Assembly, Fatoyinbo Micheal, dismissed all claims as “a farce, untrue, and an attempt to malign the council chairman.”
According to him, the chairman acted promptly the moment the attack was reported.
“Immediately, the councillor representing the area called me, I informed the chief security officer of the council, and we mobilised vigilante members. They came to Eruku that Tuesday night,” he said.
Michael explained that the vehicle used to convey an injured victim to the Omu-Aran General Hospital belonged to the vigilante outfit, noting that the chairman had scheduled a follow-up visit the next day before learning that the Commissioner of Police and the DSS Director were also heading to the town.
He itemised several interventions by the council, including the refurbishment of a grounded police Hilux for N3.6m, the purchase of a Bajaj motorcycle for the DPO, the supply of pump-action rifles and ammunition, and the recent handover of two packs of cartridges to the Chief Akogun of Eruku.
“Anyone saying the chairman is doing nothing is either uninformed or playing politics,” he said.
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