EDA-ONIYO — Tragedy struck Ekiti State in the early hours of Thursday as gunmen invaded a Christ Apostolic Church during a mid-week vigil, killing the presiding pastor and abducting 15 worshippers. The attackers reportedly emerged from the nearby forest and opened fire sporadically to traumatise the community before dragging their victims into the bush. By daybreak, the kidnappers had established contact with the families of those taken, demanding a staggering N1 billion ransom for their release.
This latest bloodletting marks a chilling escalation in the wave of banditry and targeted killings that have gripped Ekiti State in recent months. The state has increasingly become a flashpoint for high-profile violence, moving beyond rural skirmishes to direct hits on religious and traditional institutions. Only recently, the state was thrown into mourning following the brutal assassination of the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti and the Olumojo of Imojo-Ekiti, who were both gunned down in an ambush while returning from a meeting.
The insecurity has not spared the most vulnerable, as evidenced by the recent interception of a school bus in the Emure-Ekiti axis where pupils and their teachers were snatched at gunpoint. Furthermore, ongoing raids in the Ajoni and Erinmope areas have seen farmers and travellers kidnapped with alarming frequency, often resulting in fatalities when ransom demands are not met. These recurring incidents have created a climate of fear, with residents questioning the effectiveness of current security measures.
In response to the church attack, the Ekiti State Police Command, alongside the Amotekun Corps and local hunters, has reportedly moved into the dense forest reserves surrounding Eda-Oniyo to track the kidnappers. Security officials maintain that they are combing the bushes to ensure the safe return of the 15 worshippers, though the N1 billion ransom demand has already sparked fresh outrage across the state. Residents are now calling for a permanent military presence to flush out the criminal cells that have turned the state’s forests into their stronghold.
