Suspected armed bandits have attacked a prayer ground in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing three worshippers and abducting 15 others during a night vigil.
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The attack occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, on the outskirts of Ikiran Village in the southern part of the state.
The worshippers were said to be participating in a prayer session at the secluded prayer camp when the armed men stormed the area and opened fire, forcing many people to run in different directions.
A local source said the attackers escaped through nearby forest routes after whisking away several worshippers.
“People were running in different directions because of the gunshots. Some families could not even find their relatives until this morning,” the source said.
The incident threw Ikiran and neighbouring communities into panic, with residents calling for stronger security presence around isolated worship centres, farms and rural settlements.
Confirming the attack on Sunday, the Kwara State Police Command said the incident was reported by Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaiye Ati Igbala, Ekerin Village.
Police spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the pastor reported that armed hoodlums invaded the prayer ground while he and members of his congregation were conducting a night vigil.
“The incident was reported on 24th May, 2026, by one Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaiye Ati Igbala, Ekerin Village, Ekiti LGA, Kwara State, who stated that while conducting a night vigil alongside members of his congregation at Ori-Oke Ijaye via Ekerin Village on 23rd May, 2026, at about 2030hrs, armed hoodlums invaded the prayer ground, firing sporadically, killing three persons while abducting fifteen others to an unknown destination,” the statement read.
The command said officers from the Ekiti Division immediately moved to the scene after receiving the distress alert.
The Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, has ordered a full-scale tactical and intelligence-led operation to rescue the abducted worshippers and arrest the attackers.
According to the police, the operation involves the Police Drone Team, Police Mobile Force personnel, intelligence units and other security assets.
The command described the attack as “barbaric, callous and unacceptable,” assuring families of the victims that efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the abducted worshippers.
It added that bush-combing operations, intelligence gathering and coordinated security deployments were ongoing across the affected area.
The police urged residents to remain calm and vigilant, while providing timely information that could assist the rescue mission and ongoing investigation.
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