President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confirmed the rescue of all 38 worshippers abducted during an attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The victims were kidnapped on Tuesday after armed bandits stormed the church during an evening service. A video of the incident, captured during a live stream and seen by journalists, showed worshippers fleeing as gunshots intensified before the attackers forced their way into the church.
In a statement posted on X on Sunday through his Special Assistant on Social Media, Olusegun Dada, the president said the combined efforts of security agencies led to the safe recovery of the abducted church members.
Tinubu also announced that 51 of the students abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State had been rescued, adding that operations were still ongoing to secure the remaining victims.
Security agencies have not yet released a detailed breakdown of the rescue operation, but authorities say surveillance and coordinated ground intelligence were critical to the success recorded so far.
The president commended the military and police for what he described as renewed urgency in tackling the wave of mass abductions affecting communities across Kwara, Niger and other northern states.
The attack on the church and the subsequent rescue come amid growing concerns over rising terrorist activity and the vulnerability of worship centres and schools in rural communities. Residents of Eruku, a boundary town between Kwara and Kogi, have repeatedly appealed for increased security presence in the area.
More updates are expected as security forces continue mop-up operations and provide further briefings on the rescue efforts.
