By Obinna Uballa
The abductors who attacked the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Igan, Eruku, in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have reportedly demanded N100m ransom per victim, multiple community leaders and families confirmed on Thursday.
The pastor in charge of the church, Lawrence Bamidele, said between 30 and 35 worshippers were taken during the Tuesday evening attack.
Elder Josiah Agbabiaka, Secretary of the church assembly, told The PUNCH that the kidnappers had begun contacting families using the victims’ mobile phones.
“It is true that they have started calling. We were told they grouped the victims. The first group of 11 has been asked to pay N100m each,” Agbabiaka said.
The Olori Eta of Eruku, Chief Olusegun Olukotun, whose relatives were among those abducted, confirmed that the kidnappers were reaching out “systematically” to different groups of families.
He said he narrowly escaped during the attack, though several members of his household were taken.
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of the community, the Owa of Eruku, Oba Busari Olarewaju, has appealed for urgent intervention from security agencies and government authorities.
He welcomed the deployment of soldiers following the visit of the state governor but warned that the situation required faster action.
“Soldiers arrived shortly after the governor left, which reassured us. But more needs to be done to rescue our people quickly,” the monarch said.
However, the Kwara State Police Command said it had not received any official report of ransom demands.
Police spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi stated that security agencies were already on the ground and working collectively to rescue the victims.
“Our tactical teams, alongside the military and other agencies, are on ground and making concerted efforts. We are not aware of any ransom demand,” she said.
The police urged residents to provide timely information that could assist security operations.
The Eruku incident is the latest in a wave of violent attacks that have unsettled communities across Kwara State in recent months, fuelling fears that bandit groups are expanding into previously peaceful areas.
CAN condemns attack
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) strongly condemned the attack, describing it as another devastating blow to vulnerable communities in the country.
In a statement, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, expressed deep sadness over the loss of lives and the abduction of worshippers.
“We stand in solidarity with the families, the injured, the abducted, and the entire Eruku community. Their pain is our collective pain,” Okoh said.
He called for a swift rescue effort, a transparent investigation, and stronger measures to protect Christian communities, warning that the incident fits into “a pattern of repeated assaults” despite years of warnings.
