According to news published by Punch on Wednesday, 19th of November, 2025, in Eruku, Kwara state, fear has swallowed the small town of Eruku after gunmen stormed a church and opened fire on worshippers on Tuesday evening.
An eyewitness who was inside Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun branch, when the attack happened said the gunmen walked straight into the building while a special prayer meeting was going on.
“The gunmen came into the church while people were gathered, started shooting and three people died immediately,” the shaken man told reporter, begging that his name should not be mentioned because he is still afraid.
He said the attackers, dressed in black and carrying rifles, did not say a word at first. They just started shooting at everyone. Three persons slumped and died on the spot. The pastor and some other members were dragged out and taken into the bush towards Kogi State road.
Barely two hours later, around 6:30 pm, another set of gunmen blocked the Ilorin–Kabba federal road close to the same Eruku. Travellers said the bandits started shooting into the air and at vehicles. Two people were killed instantly. Many cars were abandoned as drivers and passengers ran into the forest for safety.
“Nobody knows how many people they took,” a commercial driver who escaped said. “We just heard gunshots everywhere and everybody started running.”
Residents of Eruku say this kind of thing has been happening almost every week for the past three weeks. They have sent messages to the local government and state government, but nothing serious has been done.
One community leader, Mr. Benjamin Ayeoribe, spoke with pain in his voice: “We are tired. We have cried out many times. These people come from the bush, attack us and go back. Our people are dying every day. We need soldiers here now before they finish all of us.” Read Original