Bandits who kidnapped about 35 worshippers from the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Igan, in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have reportedly demanded N100 million ransom per victim.
Multiple family sources and community leaders confirmed on Thursday that the abductors had begun contacting relatives using the phones taken from the victims during the attack on Tuesday evening.
The Secretary of the CAC assembly, Josiah Agbabiaka, said some families had already received calls from the kidnappers. He disclosed that the victims were divided into groups for the purpose of ransom negotiations.
Agbabiaka explained that the first batch of 11 abductees had been instructed to pay N100 million each for their release, adding that the development had thrown the affected families into panic.
Also confirming the calls, the Olori Eta of Eruku, Chief Olusegun Olukotun, said the abductors were contacting relatives in phases, depending on how the victims were grouped.
Olukotun, who had four family members among those taken, said several community members reported receiving similar ransom demands from the kidnappers and were told that subsequent groups would also be contacted.
He narrated that he was inside the church during the attack and managed to escape through a window, while five members of his household were seized and taken into the bush by the armed men.
The Owa of Eruku, Oba Busari Olarewaju, appealed for urgent government intervention to ensure the safe rescue of the victims, noting that the community remained tense since the incident.
The monarch commended the swift deployment of soldiers to the town after the visit of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, saying their presence had provided some assurance, though more action was still needed.
He stressed that the abduction of the worshippers had created fear and uncertainty in the community and urged security agencies to intensify operations to locate and recover the victims alive.
Onfirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kwara State, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the command had not received any official report regarding ransom demands or communication from the abductors.
She added that tactical teams of the police, in collaboration with the military and other security agencies, were on ground and working to rescue the victims, while urging residents to provide credible information that could support the operation.
