Kwara church vigil attack leaves three dead, 15 abducted

Fear and grief swept through parts of Kwara State after armed attackers invaded a church night vigil in Ekiti Local Government Area, killing three worshippers and abducting 15 others in a late-night assault.

The attack occurred on Saturday at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, on the outskirts of Ikiran village, where members of a church congregation had gathered for prayers.

Residents said the assailants stormed the prayer ground at about 8:30 p.m., firing gunshots and sending worshippers and villagers scrambling for safety. The violence reportedly triggered panic across neighbouring communities as families searched through the night for missing relatives.

A local resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described scenes of confusion and anguish after the attackers escaped through nearby forest routes.

“People were running in different directions because of the gunshots. Some families could not even find their relatives until this morning,” the source said.

Confirming the incident on Sunday, spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, condemned the killings and abduction, describing the attack as brutal and unacceptable.

According to the police, the incident was reported by Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaiye Ati Igbala, Ekerin Village, who said armed men invaded the vigil ground while he and members of his congregation were praying.

“The incident was reported on 24th May, 2026, by one Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaiye Ati Igbala, Ekerin Village, Ekiti LGA Kwara State, who stated that while conducting a night vigil alongside members of his congregation at Ori-Oke Ijaye via Ekerin village, on 23rd May, 2026, at about 2030hrs, armed hoodlums invaded the prayer ground, firing sporadically, killing three persons while abducting fifteen others to an unknown destination,” the statement read.

The police said officers from the Ekiti Division moved to the scene immediately after receiving the distress alert.

Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, has since ordered a full-scale tactical and intelligence-led operation involving the Police Drone Team, Police Mobile Force personnel, intelligence units and other security assets to rescue the abducted worshippers and track down the attackers.

Describing the assault as “barbaric, callous and unacceptable”, the commissioner assured families of the victims that security agencies were intensifying efforts to secure the release of those abducted and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The command added that bush combing operations, intelligence gathering and coordinated security deployments were ongoing across the affected axis. Residents were urged to remain vigilant and provide timely information that could support the rescue mission and ongoing investigations.