24th November, 2025
A survivor of the violent assault on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku, Kwara State, has shared haunting details of his experience in the hands of armed bandits who disrupted an evening service on November 18.
The victim, speaking in an interview with TVC following his rescue, described the sudden nature of the attack that occurred approximately 30 minutes after the church programme began. He initially mistook the gunfire for electrical sparking before realizing the gravity of the situation.
“It was a sudden act, a terrifying act. We just heard gunshots. I didn’t know it was gunshots initially. I thought it was just sparking of some wire,” the survivor recounted.
According to his account, the assailants had strategically surrounded the entire church building before launching their assault. Some worshippers reportedly noticed blood stains scattered around the premises during the chaotic incident.
The captives were subsequently marched into a forested area where the criminals appeared to have established complete dominance. The survivor revealed that the abductors openly identified themselves as bandits and displayed extensive knowledge of forest routes spanning Kwara and neighbouring states.
“They made us know that there is no one who can slip away without being caught. From that place, they have dominated. They knew all the routes surrounding all those bushes within Kwara and other cities,” he explained.
President Bola Tinubu announced on Sunday, November 24, that all 38 abducted worshippers had been successfully rescued through coordinated security operations. The President had cancelled his scheduled trip to the G20 Summit in South Africa to personally oversee the rescue efforts.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq attributed the successful operation to President Tinubu’s direct intervention and the dedicated work of the Department of State Services (DSS), led by Director General Oluwatosin Ajayi, alongside other security agencies.
The rescued victims included 26 females and 12 males, with ages ranging from five to 67 years old. Despite the traumatic ordeal, the church held its first service since the attack last Sunday, with heavy security presence deployed across Eruku community.
The incident highlights the escalating security challenges facing Kwara and several northern states, which have recorded increased cases of kidnapping and banditry in recent weeks.