Bandits Kill Three Worshippers, Abduct 15 in Kwara Attack

The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the killing of three worshippers and the abduction of 15 others after armed attackers invaded a prayer ground in Ekiti Local Government Area of the state.

The attack reportedly happened on Saturday night at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, on the outskirts of Ikiran Village in the Ikerin/Ajuba axis, causing panic across nearby communities.

Local sources said the heavily armed assailants stormed the area, attacked worshippers and residents, and later escaped through nearby forest routes.

A resident, who spoke anonymously for fear of reprisal, said many villagers spent the night searching for missing family members after the attackers fled.

“People were running in different directions because of the gunshots. Some families could not even find their relatives until this morning,” the resident said.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Ilorin, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, described the incident as gruesome and strongly condemned the attack.

According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said the incident was reported by Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaye Ati Igbala, Ekerin Village, who was leading a vigil with members of his church when the gunmen struck.

“While conducting a vigil alongside members of his congregation at Ori-Oke Ijaye via Ekerin Village, armed hoodlums invaded the prayer ground, firing sporadically,” he said.

The commissioner confirmed that three worshippers were killed, while 15 others were abducted and taken to an unknown location.

He added that operatives from the Ekiti Division were immediately deployed to the scene after the distress call.

A coordinated rescue effort involving the Police Drone Team, PMF personnel, intelligence units, and other tactical assets has now been launched to rescue the victims and track down the attackers.

Ojo described the assault as barbaric and assured residents that security agencies were intensifying bush combing, surveillance, and intelligence gathering to restore safety in the area.

He also urged residents to remain calm and support ongoing rescue efforts by providing useful information to security agencies.

The latest attack adds to a series of violent assaults on worship centres in Kwara South.

ADVERTISEMENT

In November 2025, gunmen attacked Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, in Eruku, Ekiti LGA, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 congregants, who were later rescued during a security operation.

Similarly, in March 2026, another ECWA church in Omugo, Ifelodun LGA, came under attack, with 11 worshippers abducted. A joint rescue effort later freed three victims, while eight remained in captivity at the time.