Gunmen Kill 2, Abduct Pastor and Worshippers in Livestreamed Kwara Church Attack

Eruku, Kwara State – Gun-wielding assailants attacked the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku town, Kwara State, on Tuesday evening, November 18, 2025, killing at least two worshippers and abducting the pastor along with an unspecified number of congregants. The chilling incident unfolded during a church service and was captured on a livestream, as reported by Sahara Reporters. Police and witnesses confirmed the deadly assault, which has intensified concerns over escalating insecurity in Nigeria.

The attack, which occurred around 6 p.m., saw gunmen open fire before entering the church, causing panic among the worshippers. Police spokesperson for Kwara state, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, stated that officers responding to the gunfire found one person fatally shot inside the church and another in a nearby bush. Witnesses, however, reported counting at least three deceased church members, with parishioner Joseph Bitrus recounting that the attackers "rounded up some worshippers, including the pastor, and took them into the bush."

The incident follows closely on the heels of another major security breach, the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from a boarding school in Kebbi state just days prior. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu postponed planned international trips to South Africa and Angola to receive security briefings on both attacks, directing security agencies to "do everything possible" to rescue the abductees. Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has also requested the immediate deployment of additional security operatives to the Ekiti Local Government Area, which includes Eruku.

This latest act of violence adds to Nigeria's complex security challenges, which include an Islamist insurgency in the northeast, widespread banditry, and deadly clashes between herders and farmers across various regions. The country has been under international scrutiny, particularly from the United States, regarding religious freedom. Nigerian Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris Malagi, has consistently refuted claims of religious targeting, emphasizing that violent attacks affect both Christian and Muslim communities and are often driven by criminal motives rather than religious ones.