The police have arrested 33 suspects linked to the 18 November, 2025 attack on a Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, where gunmen killed worshippers and abducted dozens.
Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
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He said the suspects were part of a larger group involved in terrorism, kidnapping, and armed robbery.
“The suspects are part of 50 individuals linked to terrorism, kidnapping, and armed robbery, arrested following a strategic offensive against syndicates that have long threatened the peace of the nation,” he said.
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Mr Placid added that the arrests followed coordinated operations conducted across multiple locations in Kwara State, including Gbugbu, Ora-Ago, Babanla, Kaiama, Awi, Charagi, Patigi, and Okeode.
According to the police, those arrested include Abubakar Usman (also known as Siddi), Ibrahim Sa’idu (alias Idi Soho), Adamu Mohammad (aka Baushe/Dogo), Abdullahi Abubakar (aka Bature), and several others identified as members of the criminal network.
The police said the suspects were among 50 individuals recently paraded as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle organised criminal groups across the country.
Mr Placid noted that several principal suspects are ready to be prosecuted, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other accomplices.
He also disclosed that security operatives recovered a cache of weapons during the operations.
“During the operations, suspects abandoned an anti-aircraft rifle and three AK-47 rifles,” he said, adding that additional items recovered include seven AK-47 rifles, seven magazines, 32 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, five walkie-talkie devices, and a camouflage hydration backpack.
The November 2025 attack on the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, Eruku, drew national attention after gunmen invaded the church during a service, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others.
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A video from the scene showed congregants fleeing as gunshots rang out.
Days after the incident, President Bola Tinubu announced that the abducted worshippers had been rescued, though concerns persisted over recurring attacks in parts of Kwara State.
Recent incidents in the state include attacks on rural communities and security personnel, raising fears about the spread of armed groups operating across forested areas.
The police said investigations are ongoing and that more arrests are expected as efforts continue to dismantle the network behind the attack.
