Bandits Demand ₦3 Billion Ransom After Mass Kidnapping at Kwara Church.
The community of Eruku in Kwara State has been thrown into panic after armed bandits demanded a ransom of three billion naira to free dozens of worshipers abducted during an attack on a local church. The gunmen struck on Tuesday evening at the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, on Okeado Street, where worshipers were holding a service. Residents said the attackers opened fire before seizing a large number of congregants and moving them into the surrounding bush. Several people were confirmed killed during the incident. Local sources reported that about thirty-eight people were taken away. Not long after the attack, the kidnappers began contacting relatives, demanding one hundred million naira per victim. The amount, multiplied across the abducted worshipers, brought the total ransom request to three billion naira. The Olori Eta of Eruku, Chief Olusegun Olukotun, whose own relatives were among the abducted, said the bandits grouped the victims by family and contacted each group separately. He described the calls as distressing and said families were struggling to respond to the demands. The attack has intensified concerns over worsening insecurity in parts of the state. Youth groups and community leaders have called for urgent government action, warning that the scale of the operation suggests increasing coordination among armed groups. Security operatives were reported to have begun search operations in the forests surrounding the town, but authorities have not yet released detailed information about rescue efforts. The incident adds to the growing number of kidnapping cases recorded across the country, where ransom demands have reached unprecedented levels. Residents of Eruku say they are now relying on security agencies to safely recover the hostages and restore confidence in the area
| 2025-11-21 10:15:46