Suspected bandits on Saturday night attacked worshippers holding a night vigil at a prayer ground in Kwara State, killing three persons and abducting 15 others in a fresh wave of insecurity troubling parts of the North-Central region.
The attack happened at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, located on the outskirts of Ikiran village in Ekiti Local Government Area of the state.
According to reports, the gunmen stormed the prayer ground at about 8:30 p.m. while members of a Christian congregation were engaged in a night vigil.
Witnesses said the attackers arrived suddenly and began shooting sporadically, creating panic among the worshippers, many of whom reportedly attempted to flee into nearby bushes.
The Kwara State Police Command confirmed the incident on Sunday through a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi.
According to the police, the attack was formally reported by Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaiye Ati Igbala, Ekerin Village, in Ekiti Local Government Area.
The statement explained that the worshippers were holding prayers at Ori-Oke Ajaiye when armed men invaded the area and opened fire on the congregation.
“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 said.
Police authorities said officers from the Ekiti Division were immediately deployed to the area after receiving a distress call.
The Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, CP Ojo Adekimi, also ordered a full-scale rescue and tactical operation to track down the attackers and rescue the abducted victims.
According to the command, the operation involves the police drone team, mobile police personnel, intelligence units and other security operatives conducting coordinated searches in surrounding forests and communities.
The police described the attack as “barbaric, callous and unacceptable.”
The command assured families of the victims and residents of the community that security agencies were working tirelessly to rescue those abducted and arrest those responsible for the attack.
Authorities also confirmed that bush-combing operations and intelligence gathering had intensified across the affected area.
Residents of Ekiti Local Government Area were urged to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that could help ongoing investigations and rescue efforts.
The latest attack has again raised concerns over worsening insecurity in parts of Kwara State and neighbouring states in the North-Central region.
Although Kwara has long been considered more peaceful than some states battling insurgency and large-scale banditry, recent months have seen increasing reports of kidnappings, attacks on villages and highway abductions, especially in rural communities.
Communities around border areas have repeatedly complained about attacks by armed gangs who target travellers, farmers and villagers for ransom.
Religious centres and isolated worship grounds have also become vulnerable because many are located in remote bush areas away from security patrols.
In several parts of Nigeria, night vigils and mountain prayer gatherings are common among Christian worshippers seeking spiritual retreats and extended prayers.
However, insecurity has increasingly turned such gatherings into easy targets for kidnappers and armed gangs.
The incident in Kwara comes amid growing national concern over repeated attacks on rural communities despite ongoing military and police operations against bandits and kidnappers across the country.
In recent years, kidnappings for ransom have become a major security challenge in Nigeria, affecting schools, highways, villages, religious centres and even urban communities.
Many victims are often held in forests for days or weeks while families negotiate ransom payments for their release.
The Federal Government and security agencies have repeatedly promised stronger action against criminal groups, but attacks have continued in many parts of the country.
Community leaders in Kwara State are now calling for increased security deployment to vulnerable rural areas, especially communities located near forests and isolated roads.
Some residents also expressed fears that the attack could discourage people from attending night religious activities in remote areas.
As of Sunday evening, authorities had not released the identities of the three persons killed during the attack, while efforts were still ongoing to locate the abducted worshippers.
Police said more updates would be provided as rescue operations continue.