By Peter.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has confirmed the safe release of 38 individuals abducted during last Tuesday’s armed attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Oke-Isegun in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area.
In a statement by Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaye on Sunday, November 23, 2025, the governor hailed the breakthrough as a result of “days of hard work by security forces and government representatives,” crediting President Bola Tinubu‘s direct involvement.
“HE AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (CON) is excited to announce the freedom of 38 persons who were recently abducted in an attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Eruku, Ekiti LGA, Kwara State.”
AbdulRazaq expressed gratitude to Tinubu for postponing his G20 trip to South Africa to oversee operations in Kwara and Kebbi States, directing heightened deployments including four new tactical teams to Kwara.
The governor also thanked the Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Army, Nigerian Intelligence Agency, and Nigeria Police for their roles. He extended appreciation to religious leaders, thought influencers, and Kwarans for their support.
Confirmation from Church Officials
CAC Oke-Isegun Secretary Michael Agbabiaka told reporters the DSS notified the community around 4 p.m. on Sunday that the captives were freed. “We are waiting for them to be brought back… Our people are eager to see them alive and safe.”
The church held its first service post-attack on Sunday, compiling an initial list of 35 abducted members, later verified as 38 including three non-members.
The Attack: 3 Killed, 38 Taken
On November 18, 2025, gunmen stormed the mid-week prayer service, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others in a livestreamed assault that shocked the nation. The incident, one of Kwara’s largest mass kidnappings, heightened fears along the Kwara-Kogi-Niger borders, prompting youth highway blockades and school closures in multiple states.
Rescue efforts involved soldiers, DSS, SWAT, anti-kidnapping units, and vigilantes. No ransom details emerged, but the release underscores intensified federal-state coordination amid Nigeria’s abduction crisis.
Governor AbdulRazaq welcomed the victims upon return, urging continued vigilance: “This is not yet for celebration… There are other captives in other states yet to be released.”
#KwaraAbductions #CACEruku #TinubuSecurity #NigeriaRescue
