November 25, (THEWILL) — Shock, exhaustion and palpable relief filled the air on Sunday as all 38 abducted worshippers of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Isegun, Eruku, were formally received by Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, following their release from captivity.
At the Government House Clinic in Ilorin, where medical teams immediately commenced emergency treatment, one of the victims, Bamidele Emmanuel, gave a chilling account of the moment armed bandits stormed the church during a service last Tuesday.
“It was a sudden and terrifying attack. We heard sounds like electric sparking at first, but they were gunshots,” Emmanuel said, still visibly shaken.
“Before we understood what was happening, they had surrounded the entire church. People were running, and there was blood everywhere.”
He said the abducted worshippers were marched deep into the forest, where the bandits openly declared control over the terrain.
“When we got into the bush, it was clear the whole place belonged to them.
“They told us they were bandits and that no one could escape. From what we saw, they knew every route around those bushes within Kwara and neighbouring communities,” he said.
Emmanuel described the days in captivity as “unimaginable,” marked by hunger, fear, and psychological torment.
At the clinic, many of the freed captives appeared weak, dehydrated and traumatised. Medical personnel administered IV fluids, first aid and stabilisation for those in more fragile condition.
“What we went through is not something anyone should ever experience,” Emmanuel added.
The attack — which left several worshippers dead and dozens kidnapped — has deepened anxiety over escalating terror activities along Kwara’s borders with Kogi and Niger, corridors long exploited by cross-state criminal groups.
Security agencies, including the DSS, Nigerian Army and specialised police units, reportedly carried out the coordinated operation that secured the victims’ release.
Authorities have yet to disclose whether arrests were made, if any suspects were neutralised, or whether ransom payments played a role.
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