Terrorists have invaded an Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA Church, in the Omugo community of the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State and abducted some worshippers.
However, joint security operatives were said to have rescued three of the abducted victims.
The terrorists attack reportedly occurred on Sunday morning during a weekly church service, causing panic among worshippers and residents.
A source noted that the assailants stormed the church premises and abducted several people before security forces intervened.
A source from the Kwara South Joint Security Watch, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, claimed, “At least seven people were abducted,” but no additional information was supplied.
Bolanle Olukoju, the state commissioner for communications, confirmed the situation to our reporter, saying security personnel successfully freed three victims while efforts are underway to obtain the release of the remaining abductees.
She stated, “We commend the immediate and coordinated response of the security forces, forest guards, and local vigilantes, which led to the rescue of three of the abducted victims and helped to repel the attackers.”
Olukoju also stated that the government had directed security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure the safe return of the remaining victims.
“While commending the immediate response of the security forces and other stakeholders, we task them to ensure that the ongoing manhunt leads to the rescue of the remaining victims and the arrest of the perpetrators,” she said.
The commissioner also condemned the targeting of a religious center, describing the act as cowardly and unacceptable.
“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,” she added.
She urged residents to support ongoing security efforts by remaining vigilant and cooperating with authorities.
“We call on community members to continue to work closely with security agencies, forest guards, and local vigilantes to bring an end to this menace and safeguard our communities,” the statement noted.
