The wave of insecurity in Nigeria took a chilling turn this week as bandits responsible for the violent attack on the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Igan, Eruku, in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, placed an unprecedented ransom demand of ₦100 million per abductee.
According to reports, between 30 and 38 worshippers were abducted during the Tuesday evening service, while five people were killed and several others injured in the assault. Community leaders and family members confirmed that the kidnappers have begun contacting relatives using the victims’ phones, grouping them by family ties and demanding payments.
Chief Olusegun Olukotun, Olori Eta of Eruku, who narrowly escaped the attack, revealed that four of his relatives are among those held captive. He explained that the abductors are negotiating directly with families, insisting on the ₦100 million ransom per person. This brings the total demand to nearly ₦3 billion, a figure that has shocked residents and drawn national attention Ripples Nigeria The Punch Vanguard.
The pastor in charge of the church, Lawrence Bamidele, confirmed the abduction numbers, noting that the attackers stormed the church during worship and opened fire indiscriminately before whisking away dozens of congregants. Elder Josiah Agbabiaka, the church secretary, also corroborated that families have been contacted by the kidnappers.
The Kwara State Government, led by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has condemned the attack and assured residents that security agencies are working tirelessly to rescue the victims. The governor described the ransom demand as “outrageous and unacceptable,” pledging that the state will not bow to criminal intimidation.
Security experts warn that the ransom demand highlights the growing boldness of bandit groups, who have increasingly targeted religious gatherings and rural communities. The incident has sparked renewed calls for stronger counter-insurgency measures and improved intelligence operations to dismantle kidnapping networks.
Meanwhile, families of the abducted worshippers remain in anguish, torn between the impossibility of raising such colossal sums and the desperate desire to secure their loved ones’ release.
