Gunmen have attacked a Christ Apostolic Church in Eda Oniyo, Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, killing a pastor and abducting several worshippers during a church programme.
Reports said the assailants, described as heavily armed, stormed the church during an open-air crusade on Tuesday night, opened fire and whisked an unspecified number of congregants, including women, children and elderly worshippers, into a nearby forest.
Witnesses said the attack threw the community into panic, with residents struggling to account for missing persons as authorities worked to determine the number of abducted victims. Some accounts said the gunmen operated for several minutes before fleeing the scene.
The Ekiti State Police Command confirmed the incident and said a rescue operation involving the police, military, Amotekun Corps, hunters and local vigilantes had been launched to secure the release of those abducted and track down the attackers.
The attack has raised fresh concerns over worsening insecurity in parts of the Southwest, particularly as religious gatherings and rural communities increasingly come under threat from armed groups. Authorities have urged calm while security operations continue.
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