Police Arrest 33 Suspects Over Kwara Church Attack

The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of 33 suspects linked to the deadly attack on the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, Eruku, in Kwara State, an incident earlier described as part of a wider network of terrorism, kidnapping, and armed robbery operations.

According to the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, the suspects are part of a larger group of 50 individuals being investigated for their alleged involvement in violent crimes across the country. He said the arrests were made during coordinated, intelligence-led operations carried out since January under a broader security crackdown on criminal syndicates.

The police said the suspects are linked to the November 18 attack on the Eruku church, during which armed men stormed the worship centre, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others in a violent raid that shocked the nation.

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A livestream video of the incident, later circulated online, showed congregants in the middle of a church service before gunshots erupted around the premises, sending worshippers into panic as the attackers invaded the building.

The incident drew national attention, prompting swift security responses and public assurances from the Federal Government. President Bola Tinubu later announced that all abducted worshippers had been rescued following coordinated security operations.

Police spokesperson Placid said several key suspects have already been prepared for prosecution, while investigations are ongoing to track down additional accomplices and recover illegal weapons believed to have been used in the attack.

He added that the operation reflects ongoing efforts by the police to dismantle organised criminal networks operating across Kwara State and neighbouring regions, particularly groups involved in kidnappings and attacks on soft targets such as religious centres.

Authorities have not yet disclosed full identities of the suspects but confirmed that they are undergoing profiling and interrogation as part of the ongoing investigation.

Security agencies say the crackdown is part of a wider national strategy to restore public confidence and prevent further attacks on churches, schools, and rural communities.

Further updates are expected as prosecutions begin and investigations continue.

Police Arrest 33 Suspects Over Kwara Church Attack

Nigerian Army Hits IPOB/ESN Hideouts in Enugu, Seizes Explosives, ₦2m

Troops of the Nigerian Army have intensified counterinsurgency operations in Enugu State, launching coordinated raids on suspected hideouts of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network, in a major security operation that led to the recovery of explosives, weapons, and ransom funds.

The operation, conducted under Operation EASTERN SANITY with air support from Operation UDO KA, targeted Ajali Forest in Ezeagu Local Government Area, a location identified by intelligence reports as a suspected operational base for armed criminal elements.

According to the Army, joint troops from Sector 1, supported by the Air Component, carried out a precision strike and clearance operation that forced suspected IPOB/ESN members to flee, abandoning key equipment and explosive devices.

During the raid, troops recovered an anti-tank Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which was immediately secured and neutralised by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, preventing what officials described as a potential large-scale attack.

Military authorities said the successful strike demonstrated growing pressure on armed groups in the South-East, noting that sustained clearance operations have continued to dismantle suspected IPOB/ESN hideouts in Enugu forests.

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In a separate intelligence-led operation in Adani, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, troops of the 82 Division Garrison, acting on information provided by the Department of State Services, tracked financial movements linked to a suspected kidnapping syndicate.

The operation led to the interception of ransom money amounting to ₦2 million, alongside the arrest of a suspected kidnapper. A search of the suspect’s residence also led to the recovery of a pump-action rifle, further linking the suspect to armed criminal activity.

The Army stated that the suspect and recovered items have been handed over to relevant authorities for further investigation aimed at identifying and dismantling wider criminal networks.

“The operations have significantly degraded the operational and financial capabilities of criminal elements in the region,” the Army said, adding that continued pressure is forcing them into retreat and disorganisation.

Officials also confirmed that ongoing clearance missions, supported by intelligence and aerial surveillance, are being sustained across forested areas in Enugu and neighbouring states to prevent regrouping of armed cells.

The military reiterated its commitment to restoring security across Nigeria’s South-East, urging residents to support intelligence sharing and community vigilance as operations continue.

Nigerian Army Hits IPOB/ESN Hideouts in Enugu, Seizes Explosives, ₦2m

Jilli Airstrike: Defence Chief Says Killed Persons Were Terrorist Collaborators

The Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, has defended the controversial Jilli airstrike in Borno State, insisting that individuals killed in the operation were not innocent civilians but persons actively involved in supporting insurgent groups.

Musa made the clarification during an interview on Arise TV Live after a high-level security meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, where national security issues in the North-East were reviewed.

He said the operation was carried out based on credible intelligence reports that identified Jilli as a major logistics and supply hub for insurgents, stressing that the strike targeted elements linked to both Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.

“There was no innocent person there. Anybody in that location knew what they were doing. They were there for business with terrorists,” Musa said, defending the military airstrike in Jilli.

According to him, intelligence showed that the area had long functioned as an illegal trading point for terrorist logistics, where supplies such as food, fuel, and materials were exchanged to sustain insurgent operations against Nigerian security forces.

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He explained that the Jilli axis had already been classified as a high-risk zone due to repeated terrorist activity and was under surveillance before the operation was approved.

“We moved based on intelligence, we identified the location, and we hit the target. It was a deliberate operation,” he added.

Musa further stated that some individuals were drawn to the area by financial incentives, noting that goods sold there often fetch extremely high prices due to the risks involved.

“If you take a bag of rice there, you can sell it for as much as ₦150,000. People go there deliberately to make money, fully aware of who they are dealing with,” he said.

The Defence Chief maintained that under international laws of armed conflict and counterinsurgency rules of engagement, anyone knowingly supporting terrorist operations cannot be considered an innocent civilian.

“He who supports a terrorist is one of them,” he said, stressing that such support directly enables insurgent attacks against communities and security forces.

He, however, acknowledged the complexity of asymmetric warfare in Nigeria’s North-East, where insurgents often blend into civilian environments, making precision targeting essential.

The Defence Headquarters reiterated that the Operation Hadin Kai counterinsurgency campaign continues to focus on degrading terrorist infrastructure while minimising civilian harm, even as debates persist over the Jilli incident.

The military maintains that ongoing air and ground operations remain critical to restoring stability across affected parts of the North-East.

Jilli Airstrike: Defence Chief Says Killed Persons Were Terrorist Collaborators