From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Barely 24 hours after kidnapping several worshipers in a church in Eda Oniyo, headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, the abductors have demanded for N1 billion as ransom to free the victims.
Recall that some heavily armed men invaded a Christ Apostolic Church(CAC) located on the outskirt of the community while a vigil was ongoing.
The gunmen who operated for several minutes without any interruption reportedly shot a visiting pastor, simply identified as Pastor Aregbe and whisked away some members of the church.
The State’s Commissioner of Police, Falade Adegoroye Michael, swiftly ordered a thorough investigation into the incident and launched a manhunt to arrest the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, residents and traditional rulers of the community have called on Ekiti State Government to ban religious activities after 6:00 pm, to curb unwanted security challenges around the area.
According to information gathered from the town 15 worshippers were abducted by the gunmen during the attack.
The Eleda of Eda Oniyo-Ekiti, Oba Joseph Awolola, disclosed that the kidnappers on Wednesday, contacted the community and demanded N1 billion ransom to secure the release of the abducted worshippers.
According to the monarch, about 15 worshippers including aged men and women as well as children were abducted during the attack
” The kidnappers are demanding N1 billion ransom from the community before they can release the victims,” he said.
Residents who commented on the development expressed sadness noting that the people of the community have been engulfed in a wave of panic since the incident happened .
They described been attack as one of the most traumatic experiences in the history of the community.
A resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said many families had been left devastated since the attack.
“Some of those abducted are elderly persons and children. The entire community has been in fear since the incident happened,” he said.
The Chairman of Ilejemeje Council Area, Pius Alaba, also confirmed that no fewer than 15 persons were abducted during the vigil.
He said local authorities had previously advised churches and religious organisations against holding late-night programmes due to the prevailing security situation.
“Before now, we had sent messages to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and religious leaders to discourage vigils and programmes extending beyond 5:00 pm because of the security challenges in the country,” Alaba said.
Also, he Elewu of Ewu-Ekiti, Oba Bamidele Ajayi, urged security agencies to be discreet in their operation, warning that informants within communities could compromise rescue efforts.
He also suggested that the government should consider restricting religious activities beyond 6:00 pm in the interest of public safety.
“There are people within communities who do not want peace to reign. Security agencies should avoid publicising bush-combing operations ahead of time.”
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Falade Adegoroye Michael, and a delegation of the state government
led by the Special Adviser on Security in the state, Brig.-Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (Retd.), visited the community to sympathise with relatives of the victims, traditional rulers and the residents over the attack.
The CP, in a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abutu Sunday, on Wednesday said,
” Today being 29th April, 2026, we visited Eda Oniyo-Ekiti Community and the Christ Apostolic Church premises that was attacked by some suspected armed hoodlums while they were holding their vigil/crusade at about 22:30hrs of 28th April, 2026, where one of the pastors was fatally shot and some church members whisked away by the hoodlums.
“The CP was in company of the representative of the State Governor, Excellency Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji and Special Adviser to the Governor on Security matters, Brigadier General Ebenezer Ogundana, as well as some top government officials and senior Police Officers.
” The visit was aimed at conducting an on-the-spot assessment, checking possible vulnerabilities, meeting with community leaders, sympathising with the families of the victims as well as the entire community and assuring them of rescue of all the abducted victims, as the State Governor has tasked the Police and other security agencies to ensure all the victims are rescued.
“Speaking during the visit, the CP condoled with the entire community especially the relatives of the victims of the incident, while imploring members of the public to be more vigilant, security conscious and promptly alert the Police and other security agencies whenever they observe anything that could amount to security breach or endanger the lives and property of citizens.
“The CP enjoins members of the public to avoid any gathering especially at night that could endanger the lives of innocent citizens, and such gatherings, if necessary and compulsory, must be brought to the notice of the Police for the provision of adequate security.
” The security operatives deployed to the axis which comprise the Nigerian Army, the Police, DSS, NSCDC Amotekun Corps, Agro Marshal and the Vigilante group were later addressed by the S.A security and the Commissioner of Police on the way to achieve success in the ongoing operations.”
The CP also noted that officers had patrolled the ancient community earlier on Tuesday but were unaware that a vigil programme would be held later that night in the area.
Also speaking, Brig.-Gen Ogundana said the state government had, before now, intensified bush-combing operations around border communities to prevent incursions from neighbouring Kogi and Kwara states.
Ogundana assured the residents that the government and security agencies were committed to rescuing the abducted worshippers and bringing perpetrators to justice.
“Government will rescue the worshippers unharmed. The security agencies, including the Army, Police, and Amotekun Corps, Vigilante group, Agro Mashal are already in the forests tracking the kidnappers.
“Government is making every effort to ensure peace and guarantee the safety of lives and property in Ekiti State,” he noted.
