Eleven residents of Isapa community in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State have been abducted following a fresh attack by armed bandits on Monday evening. The incident occurred one week after gunmen raided the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Oke-Isegun, in neighbouring Eruku, where they killed three people and kidnapped 38 worshippers.
Sources in Isapa told The Guardian that the attackers, numbering between 20 and 30, arrived around 6:00 p.m. with a large herd of cattle and fired shots indiscriminately as they moved through the community. An elderly woman was reportedly struck by a stray bullet.
A community leader, who spoke under anonymity, confirmed that eleven people were taken away, adding that seven of the victims were members of the same family. Residents said the attackers left bullet holes on walls and doors, while expended AK-47 shells were recovered after they fled.
Three of the abducted persons were said to have escaped.
The latest incident has heightened tensions across the area, coming days after bandits kidnapped 38 worshippers in Eruku. President Bola Tinubu announced on Sunday that all 38 had regained their freedom but did not disclose details of the operation. His statement followed earlier demands by the abductors for a ransom of N100 million per victim.
The President also referenced wider insecurity across the country, noting ongoing rescue efforts for 315 students abducted from St. Mary’s Private Primary and Secondary School in Niger State. He said he had cancelled his trip to the G20 Summit in South Africa to coordinate the national response, adding, “Every Nigerian, in every state, has the right to safety.”
In Kwara, the State Government has ordered the closure of schools in four local government areas as a precaution.
Meanwhile, the Kwara Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, confirmed the Isapa attack but said he was still assessing the situation. “Yes, there was an incident, but I cannot say much for now. I am about to enter Isapa from Ilorin. I will update you when I get there,” he said.
Security agencies and local vigilantes are currently searching the surrounding forests in an effort to track the abductors and rescue the remaining victims.
