President Tinubu’s Coordination Leads to Rescue of 38 Kidnapped Worshippers in Kwara
- Armed men stormed a church in Eruku, Kwara State, killing two worshippers and abducting 38 others
- President Bola Tinubu personally coordinated security strategies that led to the rescue of all kidnapped victims
- DSS operatives, backed by aerial surveillance, carried out a classified raid that freed the worshippers on Sunday
President Bola Tinubu was reported to have personally coordinated the strategies presented by heads of security agencies, which led to the successful rescue of 38 kidnapped church worshippers in Eruku, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
According to security sources, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) carried out the rescue operation at about 3.20 pm on Sunday, November 23, 2025.
Source: Twitter
Attack on Christ Apostolic Church
According to The Nation, witnesses said several armed men wielding AK-47 rifles stormed the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku last Wednesday, opening fire on worshippers.
The attack, which was inadvertently streamed live, left two worshippers dead and several others wounded. The gunmen fled into nearby bushes with 38 worshippers, sparking outrage both locally and internationally.
Tinubu’s personal involvement in rescue mission
Trusted sources disclosed that President Tinubu had taken charge of coordinating the operations, receiving round-the-clock briefings and weighing strategic options.
They said his determination was aimed at disproving claims that his administration was not doing enough to protect Christians and non-Christians.
The sources revealed that the President’s involvement triggered unprecedented intelligence mapping and aerial surveillance by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
This intelligence reportedly enabled DSS operatives to act on established coordinates in the forests of Oreke Okeigbo, Ifelodun LGA.
DSS and Air Force raid
It was gathered that President Tinubu approved the Sunday raid jointly conducted by the DSS and the Nigeria Air Force.
The operation culminated in the safe rescue of all victims. Security insiders described the mission as highly classified, noting that it remained unclear whether the kidnappers fled upon sighting the operatives or were neutralised during the raid.
Sources pointed out that the same area had witnessed violence earlier in June, when gunmen attacked a marble mining company, killing two policemen and abducting Chinese workers.
Breakdown of rescued victims
A breakdown of the rescued worshippers showed that 26 were females and 12 were males. The oldest victim was 67 years old, while the youngest was five. Among the rescued were four children aged six and nine, two aged 10, three in their pre-teens, four teenagers, and others ranging between 20 and 58 years old.
Security officials said the successful rescue was a major breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping in Kwara State, highlighting the impact of direct presidential involvement in security operations.
Source: Facebook
Bandits contact families of abducted Kwara worshippers
Legit.ng earlier reported that bandits who raided the Christ Apostolic Church Oke Igan in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have reportedly demanded one hundred million naira for each of the worshippers taken during the Tuesday night attack.
Families and community leaders said on Thursday that the abductors were already calling relatives with the phones seized from the victims.
Josiah Agbabiaka, secretary of the church, confirmed that some households had been contacted. He said the abductors divided the hostages into groups and issued separate demands.
Don't miss out! Join Legit.ng's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Source: Legit.ng
