Bandits who abducted about 35 worshippers from the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Igan, Eruku, in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have reportedly demanded N100 million ransom per victim, The PUNCH has learnt.Multiple family sources and community leaders confirmed on Thursday that the kidnappers have contacted relatives of the victims, using the phones seized during the Tuesday evening attack.
The Secretary of the CAC assembly, Josiah Agbabiaka, said some families had already been reached. “It is true that the bandits have started contacting family members using the victims’ phones to demand ransom. From what we were told, they grouped the victims. The first group of 11 people has been asked to pay N100 million each.”
Also confirming the development, the Olori Eta of Eruku, Chief Olusegun Olukotun, whose four family members are among the abducted, said the kidnappers were making calls in batches. “Some people in the community have received calls from the kidnappers demanding N100 million for each person. They said the victims were grouped, and they are calling each group’s relatives.”
Olukotun, who was inside the church with five members of his family during the invasion, said he escaped through a window while others were taken. Meanwhile, the Owa of Eruku, Oba Busari Olarewaju, has appealed for urgent government intervention to ensure the safe rescue of the victims. The monarch commended the swift deployment of military personnel to the community following Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s visit on Wednesday but stressed that more action was needed.
“Last night, soldiers entered our community minutes after the governor visited. Their presence gave us some assurance that the government is responding. But we are still appealing that efforts should be intensified to rescue our people as quickly as possible.” When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, declined to comment, saying, “Kindly speak to the police.”
However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the command had not received any official report of ransom demands.“We are not aware of any demand for ransom or contact made to the family members of the victims. Our tactical teams, alongside the military and other security agencies, are on ground and making concerted efforts to rescue the abducted victims.”She added that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Adekimi Ojo, had urged residents and relatives of the abducted persons to provide timely information that could support the rescue operation.
“The CP assures residents that the police will continue to do everything possible to secure lives and property in Kwara State.” The attack on the Eruku church is the latest in a wave of violent incidents that have unsettled communities across Kwara State in recent months. The surge in attacks has heightened concerns over the expanding reach of banditry in the state, long regarded as one of the safer parts of the North-Central region.
Source: https://punchng.com/
