EDA ONIYO EKITI, Nigeria – Suspected gunmen invaded an open-air church crusade on Tuesday evening, killing a pastor and abducting several worshippers in Eda Oniyo Ekiti, a community in the Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
Okay News reports that multiple community sources disclosed the heavily armed individuals operated for several minutes before forcing their victims into the forest.
“This evening, some gunmen invaded a church around the outskirts of Eda Oniyo during a church programme,” the sources said. “They abducted several worshippers, including elderly persons and children.”
The sources added, “They shot the pastor and took the worshippers into the forest. The attackers came in large numbers and were heavily armed.”
An anonymous official from the Ekiti State Security Committee confirmed the attack and stated that authorities mobilized personnel to the area.
“Yes, some worshippers were kidnapped in Eda Oniyo today, but security agencies are involved,” the official said. “The government has deployed security operatives to the area and they are already on the trail of the attackers.”
Sunday Abutu, the Public Relations Officer for the Nigeria Police Force Ekiti State Command, did not respond to calls and messages regarding the incident.
