38 abducted Kwara worshippers reunite with families

The 38 church worshippers earlier abducted by gunmen in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have finally reunited with their families, days after PUNCH Online reported that government officials had yet to release them despite announcing their rescue.

PUNCH Online reports that the worshippers were abducted on November 18, 2025, during a special thanksgiving service at the CAC Oke Isegun, Eruku, an attack in which three persons were killed and another sustained gunshot injuries.

In a statement issued Tuesday night, the Chief Press Secretary to the Ekiti Local Government Council Chairman, Dada Sunday, confirmed that the freed abductees were formally handed over to the Chairman of Ekiti LGA, Awelewa Olawale Gabriel, in Ilorin by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Jubilant residents of Eruku trooped out to welcome the 38 freed worshippers who returned to the town Tuesday evening: Credit: Kwara Govt
According to the statement, the handover marked the end of a coordinated rescue operation involving federal and state security agencies.

Awelewa, while receiving the victims, thanked President Bola Tinubu, AbdulRazaq, the National Security Adviser, and all security agencies for what he described as a swift and decisive intervention.

“We appreciate the comprehensive medical care and provisions given to the abductees after their rescue,” he said, assuring residents of Ekiti LGA that his administration would continue to prioritise security across all 10 wards.