The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that three worshippers were killed and 15 others abducted after armed assailants attacked a prayer ground in Ekiti Local Government Area.
The incident occurred on Saturday night, May 23, 2026, at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, near Ikiran Village in the Ikerin/Ajuba axis, leaving surrounding communities in shock and fear. Eyewitnesses reported that terrorists stormed the area in large numbers, firing sporadically and forcing worshippers to flee in panic.
A resident told The PUNCH: “People were running in different directions because of the gunshots.
Some families could not even find their relatives until this morning.”
Police confirm incident In a statement issued on Sunday in Ilorin, police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi quoted Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo as condemning the attack.
He described it as “gruesome and condemnable,” confirming that three people were killed and 15 taken away to an unknown destination.
Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaye Ati Igbala, who was conducting the vigil, reported the incident to authorities. According to the police, operatives from Ekiti Division were immediately mobilised to the scene.
Commissioner Ojo disclosed that a coordinated tactical and intelligence-driven rescue mission had been launched. He explained: “A comprehensive tactical and intelligence-driven operation involving the Police Drone Team, PMF personnel, Intelligence Units, and other operational assets has been deployed for a coordinated rescue mission.”
He assured residents that bush combing, intelligence gathering, and security patrols were ongoing to track down the attackers and rescue the abducted victims.
