The Evangelical Church Winning All in Kwara State has voiced deep concern over what it called “the worsening wave of kidnappings and killings of members of communities in Kwara South Senatorial District.”
The church urged authorities to take decisive action to restore peace and normalcy in the area.
Its statement followed a recent attack in Oyatedo village, Irepodun Local Government Area, where suspected kidnappers killed an ECWA member, Omoniyi Ajise, and abducted his wife along with four other residents.
The incident reportedly took place on Wednesday, coinciding with a security meeting convened by leaders of ECWA district councils in Omu-Aran.
A communiqué issued by the Chairman of the ECWA Joint District Church Councils Forum in the state, Samuel Adewumi, and Secretary Joseph Agboluaje, at the end of the meeting on Thursday, addressed the mounting security challenges affecting neighbouring communities.
They recounted that two elderly residents, identified as Dada and Ishola, were previously abducted in Ahun village but later released due to their advanced age.
The communiqué highlighted that kidnappings and attacks have become increasingly common across several rural communities. It emphasized that persistent insecurity is disrupting farmers during the peak of the cashew harvesting season, a key source of livelihood for local residents.
According to the statement, “Many farmers had abandoned their farms for fear of attacks, while communities now lived under constant threat from criminal groups.”
As a result of repeated attacks and killings, multiple ECWA churches in affected areas have been closed or abandoned by congregants, while clergy have fled their homes for safety.
The communiqué noted that many pastors are now without congregations, and residents have been forced to leave their homes. It stressed that economic activities have been halted, and numerous families are facing hardship.
ECWA called on the Federal Government, Kwara State Government, and security agencies to urgently strengthen operations in the affected areas to protect lives and property.
Reacting to the report, the Kwara State Police Command’s spokesman, Superintendent of Police Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, stated that the command was unaware of the incidents, noting that no official report had been made.
