Five worshippers abducted during an attack on ECWA Church in Omugo, Oro Ago District of Ifelodun LGA, Kwara State, have died in captivity. Rev. Timothy Omole, the church’s minister, confirmed that his wife, Mrs Rachael Oluwaremilekun Omole, was among the deceased. The victims were among eight kidnapped when gunmen invaded the church on March 22, 2026. An escaped abductee, Mr Sunday Bakare, relayed the news. Three worshippers remain in captivity. The kidnappers had demanded ₦1 billion ransom, later reduced to ₦150 million. Families reportedly raised about ₦20 million and supplies, but the captors refused to release the victims.
Key Points:
- A pastor loses his wife and four church members, deepening communal trauma.
- Denied access to medication likely contributed to the deaths in captivity.
- Ransom payment and supplies did not secure release, emboldening kidnappers.
- The attack on a church during service signals rising attacks on religious gatherings.
- Only three of eight victims remain alive, highlighting the failure of rescue efforts.
Families and the church are in mourning, while security agencies face mounting pressure to rescue the remaining three captives.
Sources: Daily Trust, PM News
