A deadly attack occurred on Tuesday, November 18, when gunmen killed three people and abducted at least 10 worshippers inside the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Isegun, in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Olasukanmi Ayeni, the Eruku Community spokesperson, confirmed the incident, stating the attack took place at 6.00p.m. during a church service.
The deceased were identified by Ayeni as Tunde Asabe, Segun Alaje, and Deremi.
Furthermore, another female victim with a deep gunshot injury to the neck is currently receiving critical care at the hospital.
“The people were abducted inside the church; there are about ten, but it could be more than that. The three corpses are still inside the church as we speak,” he said.
He said that for about four weeks, the bandits have been making desperate attempts to penetrate the community through the Eruku/Egbe and Eruku/Omuaran roads but were successfully rebuffed until Tuesday, when they gained access to the town.
Olasukanmi also said that during the time bandits were making efforts to penetrate the community, several rescue calls made to the state and local government were unanswered.
He noted that the Ekiti local government chairman, Wale Awelewa, who rebuffed several Save Our Soul calls of the community, had not paid a sympathy visit to the community as of Wednesday morning.
Olasukanmi, however, commended the efforts of the local police, which had been assisting the local vigilantes to chase the bandits away from the forests.
According to him, “The police in the community have been doing a fantastic job by following our local hunters to the forests to track the hideout of the bandits and chase them away; otherwise, it would have been a worst-case scenario for us.
“All efforts we made to the state and local government when the bandits were making efforts to penetrate our community, and they were being resisted by our local hunters, were not answered.
“If they had answered us, this attack would not have happened. As we speak, the local government chairman has not paid any visit to our community; it is that bad.
“The bandits reinforced; that was why they were able to penetrate our community. I learnt that some of our vigilantes who used to support our local hunters have been taken to Ilorin to be trained as forest guards.”
Meanwhile, the state command of the police confirmed the development in a press statement by the spokesperson, Ejire Adetoun Adeyemi.
The statement reads: “The Kwara State Police Command confirms an attempted bandit attack in Eruku, which occurred at about 6pm today, November 18.
“The DPO Eruku and his team of police operatives, in collaboration with vigilantes, swiftly responded to the sound of gunshots emanating from the outskirts of the town, prompting the hoodlums to flee into the bush.
“Upon thorough search of the area, one male victim, Mr Aderemi, was discovered fatally shot inside the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, while another victim of a fatal gunshot, Mr Tunde Asaba Ajayi, was found in the bush.
“A vigilante, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot injuries and was immediately rushed to ECWA Hospital, Eruku, for medical treatment.”
Police Commissioner Adekimi Ojo commended the swift response of the police and vigilantes, and assured the public that security agencies will not relent until the hoodlums are totally decimated.
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