Armed bandits who abducted more than 30 worshippers from a church in Kwara state are demanding a ransom of 100 million naira (about $67,000) per victim, family members and community leaders said Thursday.
Gunmen stormed the Christ Apostolic Church in the Eruku community of Ekiti local council late Tuesday, opening fire during a service that was being streamed live. Several worshippers were killed, and about 35 others were taken away, according to local officials.
Families told reporters the kidnappers have begun calling relatives using the victims’ mobile phones. Josiah Agbabiaka, secretary of the church, said the abductors divided the captives into groups.
“The first group of 11 people has been asked to pay N100 million each,” he told local media.
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Olusegun Olukotun, a community chief whose four relatives were taken, said callers have been reaching out “systematically,” relaying the same ransom demand per person. Olukotun said he escaped through a window during the attack while other family members were seized.
Eruku’s traditional ruler, Oba Busari Olarewaju, appealed for swift government intervention to free the hostages. He welcomed the deployment of soldiers to the community following a visit by Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday, but said more action was needed.
“We are still appealing that efforts be intensified to rescue our people as quickly as possible,” he said.
Security forces continue search operations in the forests surrounding the border town, which lies between Kwara and Kogi states, amid growing concern over the rise in mass abductions targeting rural communities.
