Armed bandits who kidnapped more than 30 worshippers from a church in Kwara State are reportedly demanding a ransom of 100 million naira (about $67,000) per person, family members and community leaders said Thursday.
Gunmen attacked the Christ Apostolic Church in the Eruku community of Ekiti Local Government Area late Tuesday, opening fire during a service that was being livestreamed. Several worshippers were killed, while approximately 35 others were taken, according to local officials.
Families told reporters that the abductors have started contacting relatives using the victims’ mobile phones. Josiah Agbabiaka, secretary of the church, said the kidnappers separated the captives into groups.
“The first group of 11 people has been asked to pay N100 million each,” he told local media.
Olusegun Olukotun, a community chief whose four relatives were seized, said calls were being made “systematically,” all relaying the same ransom demand per person. Olukotun explained that he escaped through a window during the attack while other family members were captured.
Eruku’s traditional ruler, Oba Busari Olarewaju, called for urgent government action to secure the release of the hostages. He welcomed the deployment of soldiers to the community following a visit by Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday but emphasized that more effort was needed.
“We are still appealing that efforts be intensified to rescue our people as quickly as possible,” he said.
Security forces continue to comb the forests surrounding the border town, which lies between Kwara and Kogi states, amid rising concern over increasing mass abductions targeting rural communities.
