Gunmen on Tuesday night attacked a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eda Oniyo, Ekiti State, killing a pastor and abducting an unspecified number of worshippers.
The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. during a church programme in Ilejemeje Local Government Area, throwing the community into panic amid growing concerns over insecurity in the area.
Residents said the attackers, who were heavily armed, stormed the church located on the outskirts of the town, shot the pastor dead, and whisked away several worshippers into a nearby forest.
A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said efforts were ongoing to ascertain the number of victims abducted.
“The attackers were many. They killed the pastor and took away some worshippers.
“We cannot confirm the exact number yet, but efforts are ongoing to identify those missing. The community is in panic,” the source said.
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Confirming the incident, the police in Ekiti said it had launched a coordinated rescue operation.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Sunday Abutu, disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, had ordered a full-scale investigation and a manhunt for the perpetrators.
According to him, security agencies including the Nigerian Army, Amotekun Corps, Agro Rangers, vigilantes, and local hunters have begun intensive bush-combing operations to rescue the victims and track down the attackers.
“The police, in collaboration with other security agencies, have commenced aggressive operations to ensure the rescue of the victims and the arrest and prosecution of those responsible,” Abutu said.
He urged residents to remain calm and vigilant, assuring that efforts were underway to restore normalcy and prevent further attacks.
Abutu also advised religious leaders to inform security agencies ahead of late-night programmes to enable adequate security arrangements.
