The victims of the deadly abduction during a church crusade in Ekiti State have regained their freedom after spending about two months in captivity, with members of the affected community revealing that they raised and paid N25.5 million to secure their release.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the worshippers were abducted on April 28, 2026, when suspected gunmen invaded a crusade organised by the Christ Apostolic Church in Eda-Oniyo community, Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
One of the abducted worshippers was reportedly killed during the ordeal.
The victims were received on Saturday and immediately taken to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, for medical examination and treatment.
Confirming their release, the spokesperson for the Ekiti State Police Command, Sunday Abutu, said the operation that led to the victims’ freedom was the result of sustained intelligence-driven efforts by security agencies.
According to him, the rescue involved coordinated operations by the Nigeria Police Force, the military, the Amotekun Corps, local hunters and other security agencies, with support from the Ekiti State Government.
“The successful rescue followed sustained intelligence-led operations and coordinated efforts by the Nigeria Police Force, the Military, other security agencies, the Amotekun Corps, local hunters, and the Ekiti State Government,” Abutu said in a statement.
He added that the rescued victims had been taken to the hospital to ascertain their health status and receive adequate medical care.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Joseph Eribo Falade, commended security personnel for what he described as their professionalism, dedication and collaboration throughout the operation.
He also applauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for providing the necessary support to security agencies, saying the government’s intervention contributed significantly to the success of the operation.
Falade equally thanked residents of the state for supplying credible intelligence and urged them to continue supporting security agencies with timely information.
However, a representative of the Eda-Oniyo community and former Ekiti State commissioner, Rufus Ajayi, disclosed that residents had to borrow heavily to raise N25.5 million demanded by the kidnappers before the victims were eventually released.
Ajayi said the community endured severe hardship during the period, especially after losing one of the abducted worshippers.
Despite the ransom payment, he defended the Ekiti State Government’s decision not to contribute financially towards meeting the kidnappers’ demands.
According to him, any direct government involvement in paying ransom would have encouraged criminals to intensify kidnapping activities in the state.
The Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government, Pius Alaba, expressed relief over the victims’ release but described the death of one of the worshippers as painful and unfortunate.
He commended the state government for its support throughout the crisis and said the local government had intensified participation in security summits aimed at preventing future attacks.
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