Fear and confusion swept through parts of Kwara State after armed attackers invaded a prayer ground in Ekiti Local Government Area, killing three worshippers and abducting 15 others during a night vigil.
The attack happened on Saturday night at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, situated on the outskirts of Ikiran Village in the Ikerin/Ajuba area, leaving residents and worshippers fleeing for safety as gunshots echoed through the community.
Residents said the assailants stormed the area in large numbers before attacking worshippers and nearby villagers, after which they escaped through surrounding forest routes.
One resident, who spoke anonymously over fears of retaliation, said several families spent hours searching for missing loved ones after the attackers fled.
He said, “People were running in different directions because of the gunshots. Some families could not even find their relatives until this morning.”
The Kwara State Police Command later confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday in Ilorin by the command’s spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi.
According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, condemned the assault, describing it as brutal and unacceptable.
The statement read, “The Kwara State Police Command strongly condemns the gruesome attack, killing, and abduction of innocent worshippers by armed criminals at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, located on the outskirts of Ikiran Village in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.”
The police commissioner explained that the attack was reported by Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaye Ati Igbala, Ekerin Village, who was leading a night vigil with members of his church when the gunmen invaded the prayer ground.
He said, “While conducting a night vigil alongside members of his congregation at Ori-Oke Ijaye via Ekerin village, armed hoodlums invaded the prayer ground, firing sporadically.”
Ojo confirmed that three worshippers lost their lives during the attack, while 15 others were forcefully taken away by the gunmen to an unknown destination.
He added that officers from the Ekiti Division responded immediately after receiving distress calls from the area.
“Upon receipt of the distress report, the Divisional Police Officer, Ekiti Division, immediately mobilised operatives to the scene,” he said.
The commissioner further disclosed that security agencies had launched a coordinated rescue operation involving tactical teams and intelligence units to secure the release of the abducted victims and arrest those responsible for the attack.
“A comprehensive tactical and intelligence-driven operation involving the Police Drone Team, PMF personnel, Intelligence Units, and other operational assets has been deployed for a coordinated rescue mission,” he noted.
Describing the attack as barbaric, Ojo assured residents that the police and other security agencies were intensifying efforts to restore safety across the affected communities.
“The command is fully committed to ensuring the rescue of all victims and the apprehension of the perpetrators behind the heinous act,” he promised.
He also said security operatives had stepped up bush combing operations and intelligence gathering across the area in a bid to track down the attackers.