President Bola Tinubu on Sunday announced the rescue of all 38 worshippers abducted during Tuesday’s attack on Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Igan, in Eruku, Kwara State.
The victims were seized by armed men who invaded the church during a prayer service on November 19.
In a statement released on Sunday, the president said he had been monitoring the security situation nationwide and receiving updates on ongoing rescue operations.
“Thanks to the efforts of our security forces over the last few days, all the 38 worshippers abducted in Eruku, Kwara State, have been rescued,” he said.
He also confirmed the recovery of 51 out of the 303 students and staff members abducted in a separate attack in Niger State.
President Tinubu said he cancelled his planned trip to the G20 summit in South Africa to coordinate national security efforts.
“Let me be clear. I will not relent. Every Nigerian, in every state, has the right to safety. Under my watch, we will secure this nation and protect our people,” he said.
His announcement aligns with an earlier update from Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who said the abductees regained freedom following sustained military, police and intelligence operations.
The governor’s spokesperson, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the rescue followed a coordinated response ordered by the president, which led to heightened deployments, including four specialised police units and additional troops.
He said the governor thanked the Office of the National Security Adviser, the State Security Service, the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, the Nigerian Army and the Police for what he described as many days of work by security forces and government representatives.
The worshippers were abducted when gunmen stormed their church during a midweek prayer session.
The attack occurred a day before the mass abduction in Niger State and days after another case in Kebbi, increasing concerns about coordinated kidnapping groups operating in the North Central and North West regions.
The Eruku incident drew nationwide attention after the attackers killed three people and took away the 38 worshippers, mostly women and children.
In response, the state government imposed temporary school closures in parts of Kwara and convened a security council meeting where commanders reviewed air missions, arrests and ground operations.
