In a distressing repeat of violence, armed bandits have launched another attack on the community of Eruku in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, resulted in the abduction of a local farmer, casting a renewed shadow over a community still recovering from a prior mass kidnapping.
Details of the Fresh Abduction
The Kwara State Police Command confirmed that operatives from the Eruku Division received a distress call around 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 2, 2025. The report indicated that at approximately 12:30 p.m., four armed men invaded a farm along Koro Road in Eruku. The assailants targeted and kidnapped a 40-year-old farmer identified as Annas Aasanru, a native of the community.
According to local sources, the attackers, suspected to be Fulani or Bororo men, were armed with cutlasses and AK-47 rifles. They stormed the farmland, seized Mr. Aasanru, and fled with him into the nearby bush. This brazen attack occurred while 38 kidnapped worshippers from the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Oke-Isegun in Eruku, who were recently released, are still receiving medical treatment in Ilorin.
Security Response and Rescue Efforts
In response to the abduction, the police spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, stated that a swift security mobilization was initiated. A joint team comprising police officers, military personnel, and local vigilante members was immediately deployed to the area for an intensive search and rescue operation.
The Police Command has assured residents that all necessary efforts are being made to secure the safe return of the abducted victim. The operation highlights the ongoing collaboration between formal security agencies and community-based vigilante groups in tackling the insecurity plaguing the region.
A Ray of Hope: Monarch's Escape from Captors
In a related and positive development, Oba Kamilu Salami, the Ojibara of Bayagan in Ifelodun Local Government Area, who was kidnapped the previous Saturday along with six others, managed to escape from his captors. The monarch and the six other hostages from neighbouring villages regained their freedom on Sunday evening.
Palace sources revealed that the escape occurred during a fierce gun battle between the kidnappers and local vigilantes. The vigilante team had launched a "make or break" rescue mission, flooding the forests and engaging the bandits in a confrontation around the Eku-Idaji area, close to Igbaja.
Although the traditional ruler and the other escapees had not yet physically returned to their community at the time of reporting, they established contact with community members who confirmed their safety and the circumstances of their escape. This incident followed reports that the bandits had earlier demanded a ransom of N150 million for the monarch's release.
The consecutive security incidents in Kwara State underscore the persistent threat posed by kidnappers and bandits, demanding continued and enhanced security strategies to protect vulnerable communities and farmlands.
