By Iyunade Grace
The 38 members of Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, were snatched during a thanksgiving service on November 18, an attack that left three people dead and one injured
They were finally freed after a coordinated rescue effort led by President Bola Tinubu, Kwara Governor Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the Office of the National Security Adviser, who handed the freed worshippers over to Ekiti LGA chairman Awelewa Olawale Gabriel in Ilorin.
The rescued group touched down back in Eruku around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, where jubilant relatives and neighbours swarmed the streets with cheers, songs and tears of relief.
The Owa of Eruku lauded the operation, thanking President Tinubu, the governor and all security agencies for bringing the community’s loved ones home and easing the anxiety that had gripped the town.
Local officials said the abductees would stay under medical supervision at a state clinic to recover from the trauma, assuring residents that security across the 10 wards would be strengthened.
The incident underscores the persistent insecurity in Kwara’s border areas, where kidnappings have become alarmingly common, prompting authorities to pledge tougher measures to protect residents.
