Gunmen strike Kwara church, abduct worshippers as security forces rescue three

Suspected bandits on Sunday stormed a church in Omugo community, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, abducting several worshippers during a service and triggering panic across the area.

The attackers reportedly invaded the ECWA Church while congregants were gathered for their weekly worship, whisking away multiple victims before security operatives could respond. However, a joint team of security personnel later rescued three of those abducted.

A source within the Kwara South Joint Security Watch, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the scale of the attack was significant. “At least seven people were abducted,” the source said, though further details were not immediately available.

Confirming the incident, the state Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, praised the swift response of security agencies and local support groups, noting that their intervention helped contain the situation.

“We commend the immediate and coordinated response of the security forces, forest guards, and local vigilantes, which led to the rescue of three of the abducted victims and helped to repel the attackers,” she stated.

Olukoju added that authorities had intensified efforts to track down the perpetrators and secure the release of those still in captivity. “While commending the immediate response of the security forces and other stakeholders, we task them to ensure that the ongoing manhunt leads to the rescue of the remaining victims and the arrest of the perpetrators,” she said.

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Condemning the attack, the commissioner described the targeting of a place of worship as unacceptable. “The Kwara State Government strongly condemns the cowardly targeting of a place of worship under any guise, and we reaffirm that such acts of violence have no place in our communities,” she added.

She also urged residents to collaborate with security agencies to curb the rising threat. “We call on community members to continue to work closely with security agencies, forest guards, and local vigilantes to bring an end to this menace and safeguard our communities,” the statement noted.

According to Olukoju, ongoing security operations in forested areas have begun to yield results. “We also commend the appreciable progress made in the ongoing combing of the forests, which has significantly curtailed the activities of criminal elements across affected areas,” she said.

The incident comes amid heightened security concerns in Kwara South following intelligence reports of possible coordinated attacks in parts of the region, including Ifelodun, Irepodun, and Isin local government areas.

The Coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Security Watch, Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, had earlier warned residents not to lower their guard. “Yes, it is from the intelligence that we gathered that they are planning to strike, and we don’t want to take anything for granted,” he said.

He added that security reinforcements, including military and paramilitary personnel supported by aerial surveillance, had been deployed to prevent further attacks, while urging residents to remain alert and report suspicious movements.

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