19 November 2025
Armed muslim terrorists attacked a branch of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in the Oke Isegun district of Eruku, a community in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Tuesday evening, reportedly killing three people and abducting an unconfirmed number of worshippers, including the pastor.
The assault occurred during an evening service that was being live-streamed. Footage from the broadcast, obtained by multiple Nigerian media outlets, captures the moment sporadic gunfire erupted outside the church premises. Worshippers, led by a young pastor, can be seen panicking and scrambling for cover as the shots grew louder and more intense.
More than five armed men then stormed the building, ransacking the sanctuary and seizing personal belongings from those present before marching several congregants away at gunpoint.
Local sources and community leaders claim three worshippers were shot dead, with the pastor among those kidnapped. However, the Kwara State Police Command has confirmed only two fatalities: one man found shot inside the church and another in nearby bushland. A vigilante member was also injured and rushed to hospital. Police described the incident as an “attempted bandit attack” that was repelled by officers and local vigilantes, forcing the assailants to flee.
Residents of Eruku, a town on the border with Kogi State, say the area has endured repeated bandit incursions over the past three weeks, with previous pleas for help to state and federal authorities going unanswered.
Benjamin Ayeoribe, a prominent community figure, told reporters: “We have begged the local and state governments for help, but nothing concrete has come. We are living in fear every day.”
The attack is the latest in a string of violent incidents in Kwara’s Ekiti LGA, where porous borders and dense bush paths are said to provide cover for criminal gangs. Human rights groups, including the Kwara chapter of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), have condemned the raid and called for an urgent military deployment to the region.
As of Wednesday morning, the exact number of those abducted remains unconfirmed, and no group has claimed responsibility. Police say investigations are ongoing and efforts are under way to rescue any victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
