Kwara governor seeks more troops as youths block highway over Eruku church attack

The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has asked security agencies to deploy additional personnel to Eruku in the Ekiti Local Government Area after Tuesday’s attack on the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun.

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The incident left two worshippers dead and a vigilante injured, according to the police.

The attack triggered a widespread protest on Wednesday, with youths blocking the Kwara–Kogi highway to demand stronger protection for the community.

The violence occurred around 6 p.m. during a church programme. Residents said gunmen approached from the outskirts of the town and opened fire, sending worshippers fleeing in several directions.

Early on Wednesday morning, protesters mounted logs, tyres and planks across the highway, halting the movement of vehicles.

A youth who joined the blockade said the action was meant to force authorities to respond.

“They have been attacking this place for too long,” he said. “We blocked the road because we want security on the ground. We want them to protect this town.”

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Another resident at the protest site said families were becoming increasingly frightened.

“People are not sleeping. Every night we are thinking the attackers will come back,” he said. “If the government does not send more security, this place will keep going down.”

The Kwara State Police Command confirmed the killings in an official statement issued on Wednesday.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said officers and vigilantes moved toward the outskirts of the town after hearing gunshots and engaged the attackers.

“The DPO Eruku and his team of police operatives, in collaboration with vigilantes, swiftly responded to the sound of gunshots emanating from the outskirts of the town, prompting the hoodlums to flee into the bush,” she said.

She added that a search of the area led to the discovery of two victims.

“One male victim, Mr Aderemi, was discovered fatally shot inside the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, while one Mr Tunde Asaba Ajayi, another victim of a fatal gunshot, was found in the bush,” she said.

Mrs Ejire-Adeyemi also confirmed that a vigilante member, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot injuries and was taken to the hospital.

She said efforts were ongoing “to track down the attackers and restore confidence in the area.”

Responding to the attack and the protest that followed, Governor AbdulRazaq condemned the incident and directed security agencies to reinforce deployment in Eruku and other vulnerable communities in Ekiti Local Government Area.

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His spokesperson, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the governor asked that the new deployment take immediate effect and expressed sympathy for the families affected by the violence.

The governor also acknowledged the recent approval by President Bola Tinubu for the posting of 900 additional troops to Kwara, stating that the presence of extra personnel had already contributed to calm in areas previously troubled by attacks.

Eruku and neighbouring settlements have faced repeated breaches in recent months. Residents say the absence of a permanent security presence along the Kwara–Kogi boundary continues to leave many villages exposed.

“We cannot live like this,” a youth leader at the protest said. “If something is not done quickly, people will continue to run from their homes.”

The blockade was still in place as of Wednesday afternoon, with protesters insisting they would remain on the road until they received a firm response from authorities.