Nigeria: Gunmen attack church in Kwara State, two dead, pastor abducted
A group of armed terrorists attacked the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku Town, Kwara State, Nigeria, on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at approximately 6:30 p.m. The incident, reported by Thisday media outlet, occurred while worshippers had gathered for evening service.
The attack has sparked fear and panic among residents, who are calling on both the Federal and State Governments for urgent intervention. According to sources, the Ekiti axis, particularly the Eruku-Egbe, Osi-Obbo, and Obbo-Aiyegunle corridors, has witnessed repeated cases of armed robbery, kidnappings, bandit incursions, and assaults on travellers and rural communities.
Eyewitnesses said the armed bandits, who were about ten, emerged from a nearby bush and opened fire. “They (bandits) came from the bush and invaded the church by shooting sporadically to scare the worshippers, but three worshippers were later hit by the bullets and died instantly. They later rounded up some worshippers, including the pastor, and marched them into the bush,” sources close to the town revealed.
Two worshippers were confirmed dead: Mr. Aderemi, who was found fatally shot inside the church, and Mr. Tunde Asaba Ajayi, discovered in the bush. A vigilante, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to ECWA Hospital in Eruku for treatment. The pastor and several members were abducted, though the attackers have yet to demand ransom.
Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, condemned the attack, describing it as “shocking and deeply distressing.” He urged swift action from the Federal Government and security agencies. “I call on the Federal Government, particularly the heads of our security agencies, to urgently act to ensure that the kidnapped victims of this sad incident regain their freedom and return home safely to their loved ones,” Saraki said.
He further stressed the need for a long-term security arrangement: “The state is one of the gateways into the country and a link between the southern and northern parts. This makes it deserving of a special security arrangement that will not jeopardise our national interest and internal peace.” Saraki also prayed for divine intervention, saying, “May Allah heal our land and help us defeat all those waging wars against Nigeria.”
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Kwara State Chapter, also condemned the attack in a statement issued in Ilorin by its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Taofik Adekunle Jimoh. “This latest assault is not only barbaric but a direct affront to the constitutional right to life, dignity, and freedom of worship as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended),” the statement read.
The CDHR warned that the incident reflects a disturbing escalation of violence in Kwara State. “We also consider the attack an unacceptable escalation of violence in Kwara State. This latest incident and others that have been happening in the state collectively point to a disturbing pattern: Kwara State, once regarded as one of the safest in the North-Central region, is now facing an alarming deterioration of public safety.”
The group called for the immediate deployment of permanent military or mobile police bases to the Eruku-Obbo-Egbe axis to prevent further attacks, investigate the incident, and rescue those abducted.
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