Ilorin: Armed men stormed the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) in Omugo, Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State, on Sunday, abducting eight worshippers during a service.
A statement issued in Ilorin on Sunday by the Kwara Commissioner for Communications, Mrs Bolanle Olukoju, said the suspected bandits stormed the church premises, shooting sporadically to scare members of the congregation.
Three of the eight abducted worshippers later escaped from captivity, while five remain held by the attackers.
Olukoju called on security agencies and local vigilantes to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure the safe rescue of those still held.
The government commended the quick response of security agencies, forest guards, and local vigilantes, noting that their efforts led to the rescue of three of the victims.
” The government condemns the cowardly targeting of religious centres under any guise,” the commissioner said.
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police in Kwara, CP Adekimi Ojo, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
He said the rescue operation was ongoing, with joint police and military patrols pursuing the perpetrators.
The CP clarified that of the five remaining kidnapped victims, three are elderly, while two are under 70 years old.
