Chaos as Gunmen Launch Deadly Evening Raid on Kwara Church

A quiet evening in Eruku, a border community in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, turned into a night of terror after armed men stormed a local church and opened fire, sending worshippers and nearby residents running for their lives.

The attackers reportedly arrived in large numbers, targeting the Christ Apostolic Church (Oke Isegun) during an ongoing service.

Witnesses said the armed group approached the area shortly after dusk, unleashing volleys of gunshots that echoed across the town. The sudden burst of violence triggered pandemonium, with families abandoning homes, traders shutting their shops, and motorists deserting vehicles on the road as they sought safety in surrounding bushes and farmlands.

Local security volunteers who attempted to confront the assailants were overpowered, resulting in casualties.

At least two people were confirmed dead in the aftermath, while several worshippers were believed to have been seized and taken away by the gunmen.

Those who managed to escape described the scene as “a nightmare,” recounting how people tripped over one another while scrambling to evade bullets.

Security operatives later arrived at the scene, but the attackers had already retreated into the forested areas near the border with Ekiti State.

Preliminary assessments indicate that the armed group may have monitored the community before striking, exploiting the evening worship session when movement was minimal and visibility low.

Officials have condemned the assault, calling it a brazen act aimed at instilling fear in border towns that have increasingly become targets of criminal elements. Authorities also pledged that additional personnel would be deployed to the area to reassure residents and prevent further incursions.

Community leaders are urging the government to strengthen surveillance and intelligence-gathering across rural corridors, warning that many interior settlements remain exposed to such organised raids. As investigations continue, families of those missing are anxiously awaiting updates, while residents who fled into the wilderness gradually return home, still shaken by the scale of the attack and hoping for swift justice.