Ilorin, Nigeria – Armed kidnappers holding eight Christian worshippers captive in Kwara State, Nigeria, have lowered their ransom demand from ₦1 billion (about $666,000) to ₦150 million (about $100,000).
The victims were taken on Sunday, March 22, 2026, during a religious service at the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) located in the Omugo community of the Ifelodun Local Government Area (LGA).
A spokesperson for the affected community, Jimoh Olaitan, shared the update with journalists on Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State.
As Okay News reports, Olaitan explained that the criminals are insisting on the new payment, but the amount remains impossible for the rural families to afford.
“The abductors have reduced the ransom to N150 million. They are bent on collecting that sum of money,” he said.
“That amount is still too much for the families. There is no way they can raise such money. The entire community is overwhelmed,” Olaitan stated.
The violent incident has caused mass panic and forced residents to flee Omugo. Olaitan noted that normal life has stopped, and only local hunters and vigilante groups remain to guard the empty properties.
“Omugo community is deserted. People are moving out in droves. As we speak, many houses have been abandoned because people are afraid of being attacked again,” he explained.
He also highlighted the complete lack of police presence in the area, stating, “We have a police post in the community, but there are no officers stationed there. That has made the place more vulnerable,”
Olaitan pleaded with the federal government of Nigeria, the Kwara State government, and all security agencies to launch a coordinated rescue operation immediately.
“There should be a joint operation to rescue these victims. Time is of the essence, and every delay increases the danger,” he warned.
To secure the region, he suggested activating the empty police post, establishing a permanent Joint Task Force (JTF) base, and formally including local hunters who understand the regional geography into the security operations.
