Gunmen launched a violent attack on a church in Eruku, a town in Nigeria’s central Kwara state, killing at least two people and abducting the pastor along with several worshippers, police and community witnesses confirmed on Wednesday. The attack, which occurred on Tuesday evening, has intensified concerns over rising insecurity across the country, coming just days after 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a boarding school in Kebbi state.
According to local residents, the armed men stormed the Christ Apostolic Church during an evening programme, firing indiscriminately as worshippers attempted to flee. Panic spread through the congregation as gunshots rang out, leaving the pastor fatally wounded and multiple worshippers forcibly taken into the surrounding forest.
Kwara police authorities said officers were immediately deployed to the scene but the attackers had already escaped with the captives by the time reinforcements arrived. Security forces, local vigilantes and community groups have since begun a coordinated search effort across the area’s dense forests, where armed gangs often hide.
Eyewitness accounts paint a scene of terror and chaos. Video clips believed to be captured by the church’s CCTV cameras show worshippers scrambling for safety, including elderly congregants desperately attempting to escape the line of fire. Residents identified the attackers as bandits, part of the criminal groups that have plagued the region with raids, kidnappings and extortion.
The incident has further exposed Nigeria’s mounting security challenges and places increased pressure on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which is already facing both domestic and international scrutiny over the deteriorating situation. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christian communities and has threatened military intervention if the violence continues — allegations Nigerian authorities strongly deny.
Government officials insist that attacks by armed groups affect Nigerians of all faiths, citing evidence that both Muslims and Christians are frequently targeted by criminal networks, extremist factions and resource-driven conflicts. But the frequency and brutality of recent attacks have deepened fears among communities across the country.
The latest church attack adds to a series of violent incidents that have shaken Nigeria in the past week, including the mass abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi state and deadly assaults in rural communities. Families of the abducted worshippers in Eruku say they are hoping authorities will take swift action to secure their safe return.
As rescue efforts intensify, community leaders continue to call for stronger security measures, improved intelligence gathering and greater government presence to deter armed groups operating freely across large parts of central and northern Nigeria.
The attack has once again underscored the vulnerability of rural populations, the strain on security forces and the urgent need for a coordinated national response to the worsening insecurity crisis.
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