The Kwara State Government has announced the release of 38 worshippers who were abducted by bandits from the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku, last Tuesday.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, confirmed the development on Sunday.
The statement did not disclose how the abductees regained their freedom but attributed the success to the “hands‑on approach” of President Bola Tinubu.
“After many days of hard work by security forces and government representatives, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is excited to announce the freedom of 38 persons who were recently abducted in an attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Eruku, Ekiti LGA, Kwara State,” the statement read.
The governor expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, noting that the President had postponed his scheduled trip to South Africa for the G20 Meeting to attend to security breaches in Kwara and Kebbi states.
Tinubu also directed heightened security deployments to Kwara, underlining his commitment to the safety of Nigerians.
AbdulRazaq commended the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, and the Nigeria Police for their coordinated efforts.
He also thanked religious institutions, thought leaders, and residents of Kwara for their support during the crisis.
Deadly Attack, Protest, and Wider Security Concerns
The release follows a deadly attack last Tuesday when gunmen stormed the parish during a service, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others.
The bandits initially demanded ₦3 billion for the release of the victims, later reducing the ransom to ₦760 million. Angered by the attack, youths in Eruku staged a protest, blocking the Ilorin–Kabba highway and accusing security operatives of failing to respond during the hour‑long assault.
This cherry development comes in the heals of announcement by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that 50 of the more than 300 children abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State on Friday had escaped.
Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, CAN chairman in Niger State, said the pupils reunited with their parents between Friday and Saturday.
“As much as we receive the return of these 50 children with some sigh of relief, I urge you all to continue in your prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims,” he said.
The Niger abduction, involving 303 children and 12 teachers, is one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria.
It came days after gunmen stormed a secondary school in Kebbi State, abducting 25 girls. The incidents have intensified fears across Nigeria, prompting school closures nationwide.
Since the 2014 bbc.com/news/world-africa-32299943">Chibok abduction, Nigeria has struggled with recurring mass kidnappings, often carried out by criminal gangs seeking ransom. Analysts warn that schools and churches remain soft targets due to weak security presence.
The wave of attacks has also drawn strong international condemnation. US President Donald Trump recently described the situation as “a disgrace” and threatened military action over what he called the persecution of Christians by radical Islamists in Nigeria.
It is unclear the circumstances of both the escape of the St Mary Catholic School students and the release of the Eruku worshippers, and if the sustained international pressure had anything to do with it.
Nigeria continues to grapple with a deadly Islamist insurgency in the northeast, but Nigerians will be praying and looking forward to the release of all hostages and an end to the spate of attacks, such as never been experienced at this level in the world’s most populous black nation.
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