The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that suspected bandits carried out deadly attacks in Eruku, a border community in Ekiti Local Government Area, killing two people and injuring another.
A parish of the Christ Apostolic Church was among the locations targeted during the assault.
According to the police, one worshipper was shot dead inside the church while another victim’s body was later recovered in the bush.
The spokesperson for the command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, issued a statement on Tuesday detailing the incident.
She said, “The Kwara State Police Command confirms an attempted bandit attack in Eruku, which occurred at about 18:00 hours of today, 18th November, 2025.
“The DPO Eruku and his team of police operatives, in collaboration with vigilantes, swiftly responded to the sound of gunshots emanating from the outskirts of the town, prompting the hoodlums to flee into the bush.”
The statement continued, “Police confirmed that a male victim, Mr. Aderemi, was fatally shot inside the church, while another, Mr. Tunde Asaba Ajayi, was found dead in the bush.
“A vigilante, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to ECWA Hospital, Eruku, for treatment.
“CP Adekimi Ojo commended the swift response of the police and vigilantes. He also assures the public that security agencies will not relent until these hoodlums are totally decimated.”
A previous report by PUNCH Online indicated that the first assault targeted the Christ Apostolic Church parish during a special service, where gunmen stormed the premises, opened fire on worshippers, and reportedly abducted the pastor along with several congregants.
An eyewitness had said, “The gunmen came into the church while people were gathered. They started shooting and three people died immediately. They later rounded up some worshippers, including the pastor, and marched them into the bush.”
Shortly after the attack on the church, the bandits ambushed travellers along the Ilorin–Kabba Road, forcing many to abandon their vehicles and flee into surrounding bushes.
A traveller returning from Niger State narrated in a voice note obtained by The Punch, “They came around 6:30pm and started shooting. Two people were killed instantly, and we don’t even know how many were taken; they are still shooting—you can hear it.”
Residents and community leaders say Eruku has suffered multiple attacks in the past three weeks.
One community member, Mr. Benjamin Ayeoribe, lamented the lack of effective intervention, saying, “We have begged the local and state governments for help, but nothing concrete has come. We are living in fear every day…We need federal help. These attacks are becoming too much for us to bear. We are pleading with the President to intervene urgently.”
Despite the efforts of vigilantes, local hunters, and the police, the attackers continue to take advantage of the area’s border terrain.
Kwara State has recorded a sharp increase in banditry, killings, and kidnappings in recent months, with border communities facing the majority of the violence.
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