Tensions ran high on Wednesday in Eruku, a border town in the Ekiti Local Government Area, following a brutal bandit attack on a church. Residents and youth protesters blocked the Ilorin–Kabba highway, refusing to allow Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to leave without addressing their grievances.
The governor had visited Eruku to console victims and inspect the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) on Oke Isegun Street, which was violently attacked by armed men the night before. Witnesses said gunmen stormed the church while congregants were in service, killing at least three people and abducting an unspecified number of worshippers.
Following the attack, angry youths blocked the Ilorin–Kabba highway at the entrance to Eruku, using logs, planks, and tires to barricade the road.
The protesters accused security operatives of a delayed or inadequate response during the attack, alleging that despite past contributions to local policing, officers were absent when the community needed them most.
Youth leader Peter Adesiyan called out the government, accusing it of neglect:
“They came around nightfall and started shooting. Two people were killed instantly, and we don’t even know how many were taken,” he said, according to reports.
“We need federal help. These attacks are becoming too much for us to bear,” he added.
The blockade caused significant disruption, with vehicles stranded on both sides of the highway.
Governor’s Response: Condemnation and a Call for Reinforcement
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, through his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, condemned the attack as “unconscionable” and appealed for immediately deploying additional security operatives to the Eruku axis. He also commended President Bola Tinubu for previously deploying 900 extra troops to Kwara State.
In a separate statement, the governor pledged that his administration “will continue to support security agencies to tackle these challenges and ensure the safety of lives and properties across the state.”
Community Anger and Frustration
Many residents say they feel abandoned, despite repeatedly raising alarms about insecurity. According to Eruku community spokesman Olasunkanmi Ayeni, bandits had for weeks tried to infiltrate the town through forested routes, but their calls for help “went unanswered.”
There are also reports that during the attack, the local vigilantes who rallied to defend the community ran out of ammunition, and when they sought help, local police allegedly fired tear gas instead of engaging the attackers directly.
Police and Security Response
The Kwara State Police Command, through spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed an “attempted bandit attack” at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Police and vigilante teams responded swiftly, prompting the attackers to flee into surrounding bushland.
According to the police, they recovered the body of Mr. Aderemi inside the church and found Mr. Tunde Asaba Ajayi fatally shot in nearby bushes. A local vigilante, Segun Alaja, was also wounded and taken to ECWA Hospital in Eruku.
Governor AbdulRazaq has urged for “urgent and intensified security deployment” to prevent further incidents in the Eruku area.
Human rights and civil society organisations have strongly condemned the attack, calling for sustained security presence and structural reforms. The Kwara State chapter of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has called for a permanent security base and a thorough investigation into how such a major breach was allowed to happen.
The community, still reeling from the attack, has made stark appeals: they want not just sympathy, but concrete actions — more security personnel, better road infrastructure, and more meaningful engagement from their government.
