November 19, (THEWILL) — Two people were killed and another injured on Tuesday when armed bandits launched coordinated attacks in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, striking both motorists and a church along the Ilorin–Kabba Road.
The Kwara State Police Command confirmed the incident on Wednesday, describing it as an “attempted bandit attack” that led to widespread panic, with travellers abandoning their vehicles and fleeing into nearby bushes to escape gunfire.
Police spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said officers responded immediately after gunshots were reported around 6 p.m. on the outskirts of the community. Their swift action, alongside vigilante operatives, forced the attackers to retreat into the surrounding forest.
According to the statement, a worshipper, identified as Mr Aderemi, was shot dead inside the church, while the body of another victim, Mr Tunde Asaba Ajayi, was later discovered in the bush. A vigilante operative, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to ECWA Hospital in Eruku for treatment.
Ejire-Adeyemi added that Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo commended the quick intervention of security operatives and assured residents that the Command remains committed to eliminating criminal elements threatening communities in the state.
The latest attack comes barely 48 hours after 25 schoolgirls were abducted in Kebbi State, heightening national concerns over the increasing wave of mass kidnappings and violent assaults on rural populations across the North.
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