Eruku Church Attack: Bandits Demand N100m Ransom for Each of 38 Abducted Worshippers

In a chilling attack on the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, bandits abducted 38 worshippers during a Tuesday service and have placed a ransom demand of N100 million naira for each victim.

Community sources confirm that the kidnappers have begun reaching out to the families of those abducted, grouping the victims by their kinship and demanding the hefty ransom per individual. A prominent community leader and Olori Eta of Eruku, Chief Olusegun Olukotun, who narrowly escaped the attack with some family members, confirmed that calls from the kidnappers demanding the ransom have been received by several families. However, he noted that while some families have been contacted, calls regarding his own relatives abducted are yet to come through.

Chief Olukotun praised the intervention of the Kwara State government, especially Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRahman, for showing solidarity with the community in the aftermath of the attack. He urged for a fortified security presence in Eruku, a border community vulnerable to such assaults, appealing for the community’s vigilante groups to be equipped with advanced arms that can match the kidnappers’ firepower.

Witnesses described how the assailants stormed the church during a worship service, opening fire and forcing many worshippers to flee or fall into the hands of the kidnappers. At least three worshippers were reportedly killed during the raid. The attackers moved swiftly and escaped through bush paths linking Eruku to neighboring villages, taking advantage of the area’s porous borders and forest routes frequently used by armed groups.

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The incident has escalated fears over insecurity in Kwara State, where several rural communities connected by forest corridors have recently experienced increased activity from armed groups. The state government has yet to release detailed statements on recovery efforts, and local security agencies are intensifying their search along the routes surrounding Eruku.

The demand for a total ransom that could potentially run into billions of naira has amplified the community’s call for urgent and sustained security intervention to safeguard lives and properties. As families anxiously wait for news of their loved ones, authorities face mounting pressure to act decisively on this violent episode that struck a place of worship and peace