Armed bandits who stormed the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke-Isegun, in Eruku community, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, during a mid-week evening service have contacted families of the abducted worshippers, demanding ₦100 million (approximately $69,000) ransom for each of the 38 victims — totaling an staggering ₦3.8 billion.
Key Incident Details
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke-Isegun, Eruku, Ekiti LGA, Kwara State (border town with Kogi State) |
| Time of Attack | Around 6:00 PM on November 18, 2025, during a live-streamed prayer service |
| Casualties | 2–5 worshippers killed (reports vary); several injured, including a local vigilante |
| Abductees | 38 worshippers confirmed (church released names); includes men, women, and possibly the pastor (initial reports) |
| Method | Gunmen fired sporadically, stormed the church, looted valuables, divided victims by family groups, and herded them into nearby forests |
| Ransom Demand | ₦100 million per person; kidnappers using victims’ phones to contact relatives in stages |
| Perpetrators | Described as “bandits” (armed criminal gangs, often from northwest Nigeria); no group has claimed responsibility; motivated by ransom |
- Eyewitness Accounts: Community leader and Olori Eta of Eruku, Chief Olusegun Olukotun (who escaped with one relative but lost four family members), confirmed the demands. He noted kidnappers grouped victims by relations for targeted calls.
- Church Response: CAC secretary Josiah Agbabiaka verified contacts had begun, describing the situation as dire for impoverished families.
Government and Security Response
- Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the “unconscionable attack,” requested urgent federal troop deployment, and visited the community.
- Joint operations involving police, military, and vigilantes are combing forests; no rescues reported yet.
- Kwara Police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi (as of Nov 21) said no official ransom report received but efforts ongoing.
- Broader measures: Kwara shut schools in five high-risk LGAs (Ifelodun, Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin, Oke-Ero); federal government deployed additional troops amid national outrage.
Broader Insecurity Context
This attack is part of a surge in banditry and kidnappings across north-central/northwest Nigeria:
- Comes days after 25 schoolgirls abducted in Kebbi and over 200 students/staff in Niger State.
- Linked to US scrutiny: Nigeria rejects “Christian genocide” claims but blames inflammatory rhetoric for emboldening attackers.
- Eruku has faced repeated incursions via bush paths from Kogi; residents protest weak border security.
No victims released as of November 22; families plead for government intervention over unaffordable ransoms. The incident highlights the profitability of mass kidnappings for criminal gangs operating from forest hideouts.
No direct Niger Delta connection (Kwara is North-Central), but reflects national banditry trends affecting farming/travel in rural areas.
