Despite fear and trauma, church leaders encouraged members to attend the service as a show of faith and resilience.
The Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke-Isegun in Eruku, Kwara State, has held its first service, five days after the deadly attack by bandits that left three worshippers dead and dozens abducted.
The church during the service on Sunday clarified the actual number of victims in captivity.
The ceremony, conducted inside the blood-stained auditorium of the church in the Ekiti Local Government Area of the state, where the attack occurred last Tuesday, was dominated by prayers for the release of the kidnapped worshippers and the repose of the deceased.
The Church Secretary, Michael Agbabiaka, formally confirmed that 38 persons were abducted.
According to him, the church initially compiled 35 names, but a verification exercise identified three additional non-members who were also kidnapped during the siege.
“Rumours that over 60 people were abducted are not true. We have 38 people still in the bush.
“Three people died, and one is in the hospital receiving treatment. I have their names and phone numbers. We don’t want misinformation,” Agbabiaka said.
Ransom Reduced To ‘₦20m’
He further disclosed that the bandits initially demanded ₦100 million per victim, but the ransom was negotiated down to ₦20 million each before communication with the abductors broke off on Friday, November 21, 2025.
He added that despite fear and trauma, church leaders encouraged members to attend the service as a show of faith and resilience.
“As you can see, only a few people are present, but we thank God for life and for strengthening us.
“We also appreciate the government for deploying security operatives who are now patrolling the town and the church,” he added.
Earlier in his sermon, the presiding pastor, Bamidele Lawrence, described the incident as a test of faith and revealed that he received divine assurances regarding the safety of the kidnapped.
He told the congregation that God promised that the abducted worshippers would return alive, likening their situation to the biblical trials of the Israelites.
One worshipper, James Ige, whose wife and son were among those kidnapped, appealed to security agencies to intensify rescue efforts, saying his family’s fate rests on the government’s ability to act swiftly.
A heavy deployment of security operatives across Eruku, including soldiers, the Special Tactical Squad from Force Headquarters, SWAT, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Kwara Police Command, and local vigilantes, was observed.
The deployment followed directives by President Bola Tinubu mandating joint operations to track the attackers and rescue the victims.
Gunmen had on Tuesday invaded the church, abducting dozens of worshippers in a deadly attack during a church service.
Eyewitnesses in the community told Channels Television that the attackers stormed the area “suddenly and heavily armed,” forcing many residents to flee into nearby bushes for safety.
A resident said the attackers came around nightfall and started shooting, killing two people instantly.
