KWARA CHURCH HOLDS FIRST SERVICE AFTER ATTACK, CONFIRMS 38 WORSHIPPERS KIDNAPPED.
Kwara church holds first service after attack, confirms 38 worshippers kidnapped
The Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Oke Isegun in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Sunday held its first service since the deadly bandit attack that left three worshippers dead and dozens abducted, using the emotional gathering to clarify the actual number of victims taken away.
The service, conducted inside the blood-stained auditorium where the attack occurred last Tuesday, was dominated by prayers for the release of the kidnapped worshippers and the repose of the deceased.
It was during the service that the church secretary, Michael Agbabiaka, formally confirmed that 38 persons were abducted, contrary to earlier figures circulating on social media.
According to him, the church initially compiled 35 names, but a later verification exercise identified three additional non-members who were also kidnapped during the siege.
“Rumours that over 60 people were abducted are not true,” “We have 38 people still in the bush. Three people died, and one is in the hospital receiving treatment. I have their names and phone numbers we don’t want misinformation.”
Agbabiaka further disclosed that the bandits initially demanded N100 million per victim, but the ransom was negotiated down to N20 million each before communication with the abductors broke off on Friday.
He added that despite fear and trauma, church leaders encouraged members to attend the service as a show of faith and resilience.
“As you can see, only a few people are present, but we thank God for life and for strengthening us. We also appreciate the government for deploying security operatives who are now patrolling the town and the church,” he said.
Earlier in his sermon, the presiding pastor, Bamidele Lawrence, described the incident as a test of faith and revealed that he received divine assurances regarding the safety of the kidnapped.
He told the congregation that God promised the abducted worshippers would return alive, likening their situation to the biblical trials of the Israelites.
One worshipper, James Ige, whose wife and son were among those kidnapped, appealed to security agencies to intensify rescue efforts, saying his family’s fate rests on the government’s ability to act swiftly.
Our correspondent observed heavy deployment of security operatives across Eruku, including soldiers, the Special Tactical Squad from Force Headquarters, SWAT, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Kwara Police Command, and local vigilantes.
The deployment follows directives by President Bola Tinubu, mandating joint operations to track the attackers and rescue the victims.
