Three Dead, 15 Kidnapped in Fresh Kwara Worship Centre Attack

Three Dead, 15 Kidnapped in Fresh Kwara Worship Centre Attack

ILORIN – The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that three worshippers were killed and 15 others abducted during a violent attack by gunmen at a prayer ground in the Ekiti Local Government Area of the state. The attack occurred on Saturday night at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, located on the outskirts of Ikiran Village in the Ikerin/Ajuba axis, throwing surrounding communities into panic. According to local sources, terrorists assaulted the village in huge numbers, attacking worshippers and inhabitants before fleeing via neighboring forest trails. A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation said that several residents spent the night looking for missing relatives after the perpetrators fled the region. “People were running in different directions because of the gunshots. Some families could not even find their relatives until this morning,” he said.

Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, confirmed the event in a statement made on Sunday in Ilorin. The Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, branded the attack as horrible and condemnable. The statement read: “The Kwara State Police Command strongly condemns the gruesome attack, killing, and abduction of innocent worshippers by armed criminals at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, located on the outskirts of Ikiran Village in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.” The Commissioner of Police stated that the incident was reported to authorities by Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaye Ati Igbala, Ekerin Village, who was conducting a night vigil with members of his congregation when the gunmen struck. “While conducting a night vigil alongside members of his congregation at Ori-Oke Ijaye via Ekerin Village, armed hoodlums invaded the prayer ground, firing sporadically,” he said. He reported that the incident resulted in the deaths of three people, while the attackers abducted 15 others and transported them to an undisclosed location.

The police chief quickly dispatched operatives from the Ekiti Division to the area after receiving the distress call. “Upon receipt of the distress report, the Divisional Police Officer, Ekiti Division, immediately mobilized operatives to the scene,” he said. Adekimi also revealed that he has ordered a coordinated tactical and intelligence-driven rescue operation to secure the release of the abducted victims and apprehend those behind the attack. “A comprehensive tactical and intelligence-driven operation involving the Police Drone Team, PMF personnel, intelligence units, and other operational assets has been deployed for a coordinated rescue mission,” he noted. The police commissioner called the attack cruel and reassured locals that the command was still committed to restoring security in the impacted areas. “The command is fully committed to ensuring the rescue of all victims and the apprehension of the perpetrators behind the heinous act,” he promised. The police chief also assured residents of the Ekiti Local Government Area and the larger Kwara community that security personnel had increased bush combing and information gathering around the region. “Vigorous efforts are ongoing, including bush combing, intelligence gathering, and coordinated security operations to track down the assailants and bring them to justice,” the statement added. The command requested the public to remain calm and provide credible information to aid ongoing rescue and security operations.

READ ALSO:

• ICE Arrests Nigerian National in Los Angeles for Theft, Fraud; Faces Deportation
• Don’t Label Oyo Kidnappers as ‘Islamic Jihadists’ – Saudi-Based Nigerian Scholar Warns
• Political Twist in Kano as Ganduje’s Son Picks NDC Nomination Form for Reps Seat

The new incident comes amid a string of attacks on worship centers in Kwara South, signaling a troubling escalation of insecurity in a region once considered relatively peaceful. In November 2025, armed bandits raided the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Isegun, in Eruku, Ekiti LGA, killing three worshippers and kidnapping 38 others. The attack occurred during a mid-week service, with the youngest victim being just seven years old and the oldest 64. Among the 38 abducted worshippers, 30 were women and eight were minors. The kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦100 million per victim — a staggering ₦3.8 billion combined — though this was later negotiated. Following a coordinated rescue effort involving the Department of State Services (DSS) , the military, and other security agencies, all 38 abductees were freed on November 23, 2025. President Bola Tinubu reportedly called off a scheduled trip to South Africa for the G20 meeting to personally oversee the security response. Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, confirmed that a non-kinetic operation involving direct contact with the bandits secured the hostages’ release without a military assault that could have endangered lives.

In March 2026, another ECWA church in Omugo, Ifelodun LGA, was assaulted. The attack, which occurred during a Sunday service, led to the abduction of several worshippers. A joint team of security personnel, forest guards, and local vigilantes responded swiftly, rescuing three of the abducted victims. However, as of recent reports, eight worshippers remained in captivity. Bandits later insisted on a ₦150 million ransom for their release, a sum community leaders described as far beyond the reach of affected families. The Omugo community spokesperson, Olaitan Tajudeen Jimoh, noted that the abduction was the third in the community within six months, stating, “This is not merely a security breach. It is a brutal assault on our faith, our dignity, and our very right to exist.”

The deteriorating security situation in Kwara State extends beyond worship centers. On May 2, 2026 — just one day before the Ori-Oke Ajaiye attack — bandits attacked a Police Mobile Force (PMF) camp at Tenebo Village in Kaiama Local Government Area, killing three police officers and leaving several others critically injured. The attack occurred in the early hours of Saturday, with CP Adekimi Ojo expressing “profound shock and deep sorrow” over the incident. He described the fallen officers as gallant men who “paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, bravely standing to defend the safety and security of our communities.” The commissioner vowed that there would be “no hiding place for those responsible” and pledged to deploy all available operational, intelligence, and tactical resources to track down the perpetrators.

Security analysts note that Kwara State — historically considered relatively peaceful as part of Nigeria’s South-West region — has witnessed a surge in banditry, kidnappings, and terrorist attacks in recent months. Armed groups are believed to be exploiting vulnerable forest corridors linking Niger, Kogi, Kwara, and Oyo states to expand their operations southward. These groups include remnants of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) , as well as criminal bandit networks displaced by military operations in the North-West. The Kwara State Government has consistently condemned these attacks. Following the Omugo church incident, the Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, stated, “The Kwara State Government strongly condemns the cowardly targeting of a place of worship under any guise, and we reaffirm that such acts of violence have no place in our communities.” However, community members continue to call for more permanent solutions, including the establishment of Joint Task Force bases comprising the Nigerian Army, Police, and Civil Defence Corps, as well as the formal integration of local vigilante groups into the security architecture.

As of the time of this report, the 15 worshippers abducted from Ori-Oke Ajaiye remain in captivity. The police command has deployed the Drone Team, PMF personnel, and intelligence units for a coordinated rescue mission. Meanwhile, residents of Ikiran Village and surrounding communities remain on edge, with many fearing further attacks as security forces continue bush combing operations in the area. The public has been urged to remain calm and provide credible information to aid ongoing rescue and security operations. The Kwara State Police Command has also requested that citizens report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through its emergency lines.

Three Dead, 15 Kidnapped in Fresh Kwara Worship Centre Attack