Eruku town in Kwara State was thrown into panic on Tuesday evening when armed masked men stormed a church service, killing five worshippers, kidnapping several others and injuring more people — including a local vigilante — as they fled.
A viral video confirmed that the assailants invaded the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun branch, abducting multiple congregants, among them the officiating pastor.
According to eyewitnesses (names withheld), the attackers forcefully entered the church during a gathering and began shooting, leaving about five members dead instantly.
“They also took away some worshippers,” she said amidst tears.
The kidnappers were said to have taken their captives through bush paths surrounding the community.
Residents report that the incident has intensified fear across the Eruku–Egbe border axis, an area that has suffered frequent assaults in recent weeks.
The state police command has confirmed the Tuesday night attack in Eruku.
The Command’s spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, in a statement, said the incident occurred at about 18:00.
“The DPO Eruku and his team of police operatives, in collaboration with vigilantes, swiftly responded to the sound of gunshots emanating from the outskirts of the town, prompting the hoodlums to flee into the bush.
“Upon thorough search of the area, one male victim, Mr Aderemi, was discovered fatally shot inside the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun; while one Mr Tunde Asaba Ajayi, another victim of fatal gunshot, was found in the bush. A vigilante, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot injuries and was immediately rushed to ECWA Hospital, Eruku, for medical treatment,” she stated.
The commissioner of police in the state, Adekimi Ojo, commended both the police officers and vigilantes for their swift reaction and assured residents that security agencies remain committed to dismantling the criminal group behind the attack.
Kebbi Schoolgirl Escapes Abductors After Deadly Attack on Boarding School
One of the 25 schoolgirls kidnapped by terrorists from a boarding school in Kebbi State has escaped from captivity and returned home, the school’s principal confirmed on Tuesday.
The Guardian earlier reported that armed men launched a violent attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area, on Monday, November 17. During the raid, the attackers killed a staff member and abducted 25 students, whisking them into the nearby forests.
According to the principal, Musa Rabi Magaji, one of the abducted girls managed to break free from her captors and found her way home late Monday, only hours after the mass abduction. Her return has brought a measure of relief to distressed families awaiting updates on their missing children.
Magaji further revealed that another student, who was not among the officially listed abductees, also escaped amid the chaos of the attack.
She added that security forces have intensified search-and-rescue efforts across the region as concerns grow over the resurgence of school kidnappings that continue to threaten communities in northwestern Nigeria.
