President Bola Tinubu on Sunday announced that all 38 worshippers kidnapped by gunmen during a church service in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have been rescued.
Bandits had on Tuesday night stormed the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Isegun, Eruku, a border community with Kogi State, shooting sporadically as the congregation held a live-streamed service.
A video of the attack, which surfaced online, showed worshippers scampering for safety as the armed men forced their way into the church.
In a statement posted on his X handle, the President said he had been monitoring coordinated security operations since the attack and assured that no Nigerian would be abandoned under his administration.
“Thanks to the efforts of our security forces over the last few days, all the 38 worshippers abducted in Eruku, Kwara State, have been rescued,” Tinubu said.
The President also disclosed that 51 of the abducted pupils of a Catholic school in Niger State had regained freedom following ongoing rescue operations.
“You will recall that I cancelled my trip to the G20 Summit in South Africa to enable me coordinate security efforts at home,” he added. “Let me be clear:
“I will not relent. Every Nigerian, in every state, has the right to safety — and under my watch, we will secure this nation and protect our people.”
The Eruku attack, which occurred around 6pm, was the latest in a series of violent incursions by armed groups targeting rural communities and religious gatherings in the North-Central region.
Residents told newsmen that the incident had heightened fear in the border town, which has suffered multiple security breaches due to its proximity to Kogi’s forest corridors.
Security agencies are yet to provide further details on arrests or ongoing pursuit of the attackers.
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