Thirty-eight members of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Oke-Isegun Eruku in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State have been freed after spending five days in the hands of kidnappers.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq announced the release on Sunday through his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaiye, crediting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s direct intervention and the efforts of multiple security agencies for the successful rescue.
Details of how and where the congregation members were rescued remained unclear at the time of the announcement.
“After many days of hard work by security forces and government representatives, 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,” the statement read.
Governor AbdulRazaq praised President Tinubu’s hands-on approach to resolving the crisis, noting that the abductees were freed on Sunday, November 23.
“The Governor says this is wholly due to the hands-on approach of President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, who has personally led the efforts to free the abductees,” the statement emphasized.
The governor highlighted that President Tinubu had cancelled his scheduled trip to the G20 Meeting in South Africa to focus on addressing security breaches in Kwara and Kebbi states, demonstrating his commitment to the safety of Nigerians.
“The President had called off his scheduled trip for the G20 Meeting in South Africa to attend to the breaches in Kwara and Kebbi States. He had also directed heightened security deployments to Kwara, which underlined his firm commitment to the safety and well-being of our people and Nigerians as a whole,” the statement noted.
Governor AbdulRazaq expressed appreciation to multiple security agencies that collaborated on the rescue operation, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Intelligence Agency, and the Nigeria Police Force.
He specifically acknowledged the deployment of four new police tactical teams to Kwara State on President Tinubu’s directive, which bolstered security operations in the region.
“The Governor also thanks members of the security forces across board, thought leaders, religious institutions, and all Kwarans for their support and goodwill since the unfortunate incident,” the statement concluded.
The successful rescue offers a rare bright spot amid Nigeria’s escalating kidnapping crisis, which has seen over 250 students and staff from St. Mary’s School in Niger State remain in captivity following Friday’s mass abduction.
The Kwara church attack was among several recent incidents that prompted widespread school closures across northern states and intensified calls for improved security measures to protect vulnerable communities.
