38 Kwara Church Worshippers Regain Freedom

Thirty-eight worshippers abducted from Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku, in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have regained their freedom.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq confirmed their release in a statement issued on Sunday afternoon by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye.

The governor expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, whom he said took personal charge of the rescue operation.

According to the statement: “The abductees were freed today, November 23. The Governor is immensely grateful to President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for his direct initiative that made this happen.”

Ajakaye added that the president cancelled his scheduled trip to the G20 Meeting in South Africa to focus on the security breaches in Kwara and Kebbi States.

“He had directed heightened security deployments to Kwara, in what underlined his firm commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our people and Nigerians as a whole,” the statement read.

AbdulRazaq also acknowledged the swift response of security agencies following the president’s directives.

He thanked the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, and the Nigeria Police Force, which deployed four new tactical teams to Kwara to aid the rescue mission.

The governor further extended appreciation to traditional rulers, clerics, community leaders and citizens of Kwara State who showed solidarity throughout the ordeal.

“The Governor also thanks members of the security forces across board, thought leaders, religious institutions, and all Kwarans for their support and goodwill since the unfortunate incident,” Ajakaye added.

The worshippers were abducted last week during a church programme, with the kidnappers initially demanding N100 million ransom per victim.

Details of whether any ransom was eventually paid have not been disclosed.