The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the killing of three worshippers and the abduction of 15 others following an attack by armed men at a prayer ground in Ekiti Local Government Area of the state.
The attack reportedly occurred on Saturday night at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, located on the outskirts of Ikiran Village in the Ikerin/Ajuba axis, causing panic across nearby communities.
According to residents, the gunmen stormed the area during a night vigil and opened fire sporadically before whisking several worshippers away through nearby forest routes.
A community source disclosed that many residents spent hours searching for missing relatives after the attackers fled the scene.
Confirming the incident, police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi said the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, described the attack as gruesome and condemnable.
Police said the incident was reported by Pastor Adebayo Abiodun, who was leading a night vigil with members of his congregation when the assailants invaded the prayer ground.
Following the distress call, operatives attached to the Ekiti Division were immediately deployed to the area.
The police commissioner stated that a coordinated tactical and intelligence-driven rescue operation involving the Police Drone Team, PMF personnel and other security units had been launched to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend the attackers.
Security agencies have also intensified bush combing and intelligence gathering operations across the affected communities and surrounding forests.
The latest incident adds to growing concerns over recurring attacks on worship centres and rural communities in parts of Kwara State.
