Two people have been killed following an attack by suspected bandits on the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, and its surrounding community in Eruku, a border town in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when armed assailants stormed the outskirts of the town, shooting sporadically and forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes. Eyewitnesses said the attackers arrived “suddenly and heavily armed.”
“They came around nightfall and started shooting. Two people were killed instantly, and we don’t even know how many were taken,” a resident said.
Another member of the community lamented that Eruku had faced “perpetual attacks for the last three weeks,” despite repeated appeals to authorities. “We are living in fear every day,” he added.
Local resistance from police, vigilantes, and the Eruku Progressive Union has not deterred the attackers, heightening anxiety among residents who are now calling for federal intervention.
Police said operatives responded swiftly and forced the attackers to flee. According to Police Public Relations Officer SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, a search of the area revealed the body of Mr Aderemi inside the church, while another victim, Mr Tunde Asaba Ajayi, was found dead in the bush. A vigilante, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot injuries and was taken to ECWA Hospital in Eruku.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the attack and directed immediate reinforcement of security personnel. His Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, confirmed the governor’s request for additional operatives to support ongoing efforts.
AbdulRazaq expressed sympathy to the victims’ families and the church community, noting that the recent deployment of 900 additional troops to the state by President Bola Tinubu would bolster security and help restore calm.
The latest assault adds to growing concerns over escalating banditry in border communities. It also follows the recent abduction of 26 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, where the Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, was killed.
