Eruku community in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State was thrown into panic on Tuesday evening after armed, masked bandits stormed a church service, killing at least five worshippers and abducting several others.
The attackers, who struck at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Isegun branch, opened fire on congregants during a service, witnesses said. A viral video from the scene showed the chaos that followed as residents fled for safety.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the gunmen shot indiscriminately, leaving about five people dead before whisking away an unspecified number of worshippers, including the officiating pastor.
“They also took away some worshippers,” a distraught resident said, fighting back tears.
The assailants were said to have escaped with their captives through bush paths along the Eruku–Egbe corridor, an area that has suffered repeated attacks in recent weeks, heightening fear among local communities.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the attack occurred around 6 p.m.
She said the Divisional Police Officer in Eruku, alongside other operatives and local vigilantes, moved swiftly toward the sound of gunshots, forcing the attackers to flee.
“During a thorough search of the area, one male victim, Mr. Aderemi, was found fatally shot inside the church. Another victim, Mr. Tunde Asaba Ajayi, was discovered dead in the bush. A vigilante, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot injuries and was taken to ECWA Hospital, Eruku,” she said.
The state Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, praised the prompt response of security personnel and vowed that the perpetrators would be hunted down.
He assured residents that security agencies remained committed to dismantling criminal networks terrorising the area.
