Five days after a deadly attack by bandits that left three worshippers dead and dozens abducted, the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke-Isegun in Eruku, Kwara State, held its first service.
During the Sunday service, the church made an accurate figure regarding the number of captivity victims.
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Prayers for the release of the kidnapped worshippers and the repose of the deceased were the main focus of the ceremony, which took place inside the blood-stained auditorium of the church in the state’s blood-stained Ekiti Local Government Area on Tuesday.
38 people were abducted, according to the church secretary, Michael Agbabiaka.
He claims that the church initially collected 35 names before performing a verification that revealed three additional non-members who had also been abducted during the siege.
“The reports that over 60 people were kidnapped are untrue. 38 people are still buried in the bush, total.
“Three people died, and one is receiving care in a hospital. I have their phone numbers and names. According to Agbabiaka, “we don’t want misinformation.”
Ransom Reduced to “20m”
He further disclosed that the bandits had initially requested $100,000,000 for each victim before the abductors’ communication broke down on Friday, November 21, 2025. The demand was later reduced to $20,000,000.
He continued, “Celtics leaders encouraged members to attend the service as a show of faith and resilience,” despite their fear and trauma.
We thank God for life and for strengthening us, but as you can see, there are only a select few people present.
He continued, “We also appreciate the government’s deployment of security personnel who are currently circling the town and the church.”
The presiding pastor, Bamidele Lawrence, described the incident as a test of faith earlier in his sermon and claimed that he had received assurances from God regarding the safety of the kidnapped.
He explained to the congregation that God had promised that the abducted worshippers would live again, and that they were compared to the Israelites’ struggles in the Bible.
James Ige, a worshipper whose wife and son were among those abducted, pleaded with security forces to intensify rescue efforts, claiming that the government’s ability to act quickly will determine his family’s fate.
A significant number of security operatives from Eruku, including soldiers, SWAT, the Special Tactical Squad from Headquarters, the Kwara Police Command, and local vigilantes, were stationed there.
President Bola Tinubu had issued decrees for joint operations to track down the attackers and rescue the victims, prompting the deployment.
During a deadly attack at a church service on Tuesday, gunmen stormed the church and kidnapped dozens of worshipers.
Many residents fled into nearby bushes for safety, according to eyewitnesses in the community who reported to Channels Television that the attackers stormed the area “suddenly and heavily armed.”
Source: Channels TV
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