Abductors of 15 worshippers in Ekiti State have demanded a N1 billion ransom for their release, following a deadly attack on a church in the state.
This was disclosed on Wednesday, April 29, by the Eleda of Eda-Oniyo, Oba Joseph Awolola, during a visit by a government delegation to the community, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
The victims were abducted on Tuesday during a night vigil at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) No. 2, Eda-Oniyo in Ilejemeje Local Government Area.
What they are saying
According to Awolola, the abductors, who carried out the attack and killed the visiting pastor, are demanding N1 billion for the release of the victims.
Alaba, in his remarks, revealed that a family of four, a mother and her three children, were among those abducted, adding that efforts were ongoing to secure the victims’ release.
The delegation was led by retired Brig.-Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana, Special Adviser on Security to Gov. Biodun Oyebanji, and included the State Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, as well as the Ilejemeje Council Chairman, Pius Alaba.
More insights
In response to the attack, the Ekiti State government, through a statement signed by its Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, on April 30, described the incident as heinous and unacceptable.
The government said it had deployed a high-powered security delegation led by Brig.-Gen. Ogundana (rtd.) to coordinate operations in the affected community.
- “This effort is being carried out in close collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Amotekun Corps, local vigilante groups, and other relevant security agencies to ensure a robust and unified security response,” the statement read in part.
It added that full-scale surveillance operations had been activated to monitor the area, track down the perpetrators, and prevent further security breaches.
- “Full-scale surveillance operations have also been activated to comprehensively monitor the environment, track down the perpetrators, and forestall any further security breaches,” the statement added.
What you should know
Nigeria continues to grapple with rising insecurity, with kidnapping for ransom increasingly becoming widespread across several regions.
- On April 20, Nairametrics reported that Boko Haram issued an ultimatum to the Nigerian government, demanding N5 billion for the release of 416 abducted women and children in Borno State.
- In January 2026, at least 25 civilians and 11 security personnel were killed in coordinated attacks across Borno, while in March, triple IED explosions in Maiduguri left 23 people dead and over 100 injured, highlighting the growing sophistication of insurgent operations.
Responding to the rising wave of insecurity, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday said his “enemies want to use insecurity to get rid of him” as the country prepares for a general election next year.
