Gunmen Attack Kwara Church, Community

Gunmen Attack Kwara Church, Community

On Tuesday evening, November 18, 2025, tragedy struck the town of Eruku in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State when suspected bandits stormed the outskirts of the community.

The attackers targeted a parish of the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, leaving two people dead and several others injured. Eyewitnesses described the assault as sudden and heavily armed, forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes for safety.

The victims included Mr. Aderemi, who was fatally shot inside the church, and Mr. Tunde Asaba Ajayi, whose body was discovered in the bush. A vigilante member, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to ECWA Hospital in Eruku for treatment. Residents lamented that the community had been under repeated attacks for the past three weeks, despite distress calls to authorities.

The Kwara State Police Command confirmed that officers responded swiftly, forcing the attackers to retreat. However, the incident has heightened fears of worsening insecurity in Kwara’s border communities.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the attack, expressing sympathy with the victims’ families and pledging government support for security agencies. He called for urgent reinforcement of security operatives in the area and commended President Bola Tinubu for the recent deployment of 900 additional troops to Kwara State, which he believes will help deter further assaults.

This attack comes just days after another devastating incident in Kebbi State, where 26 schoolgirls were abducted from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga. Although two of the girls managed to escape, the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, was killed during the raid. The proximity of these attacks underscores the growing threat of banditry across Nigeria’s north-central and north-western regions.

Community leaders in Eruku, including the Eruku Progressive Union, have been working alongside vigilantes and police to resist the bandits, but the renewed assault has deepened fears of insecurity.

Residents are pleading for federal intervention, warning that the situation is becoming unbearable. The attack on the church not only highlights the vulnerability of rural communities but also raises urgent questions about the adequacy of Nigeria’s current security architecture.

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and renewed calls for stronger measures to restore peace and protect lives in Kwara State.

As the government intensifies efforts to secure the region, the people of Eruku remain resilient but fearful, hoping that the promised reinforcements will finally bring lasting calm to their community.