Christ Apostolic Church Oke Isegun in Eruku returned to worship on Sunday with a quiet service marked by grief and determination.
Only a fraction of the usual congregation gathered inside the blood-stained hall, five days after armed men stormed the church, killed three people, and took thirty-eight others away.
The service ran for about an hour, centred on prayers for the safe return of the abducted members and for the repose of the dead. Pastor Bamidele Lawrence urged the congregation to hold firm. He said he believed the captives would be rescued and compared their ordeal to the ancient trials faced by the Israelites. He told the church that those who died in the attack had kept their faith until the end.
Among those present was James Ige, whose wife and son were taken during the raid. He asked security agencies to press harder, warning that every delay increased the danger facing his family.
The church secretary, Michael Agbabiaka, confirmed that thirty-eight people were seized. He said early reports had overstated the number due to confusion after the attack. He added that the attackers first demanded one hundred million naira for each hostage, later cutting it to twenty million before communication stopped on Friday.
Despite the fear and shock felt across the community, church leaders urged members to return to worship as an act of courage.
Eruku has seen a heavy security presence since the incident, with soldiers, tactical police units, and local vigilantes carrying out joint operations.
Their deployment follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive to track down the attackers and secure the release of the hostages.
