No fewer than 11 residents of Isapa, a community near Eruku in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have been abducted in a new wave of attacks that struck barely 24 hours after earlier kidnap victims were released.
The latest incident occurred around 6:00 p.m. on Monday when an estimated 20 to 30 armed terrorists stormed the community, firing sporadically and sending residents scrambling for safety. An elderly woman was reportedly struck by a stray bullet.
The attack came just a day after a thanksgiving service at Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, held to celebrate the freedom of 18 worshippers kidnapped a month ago. That service itself had been violently disrupted when gunmen invaded the church, killing three and abducting 38 others.
A community leader, who spoke under strict anonymity, confirmed that 11 people were seized in the fresh attack — seven of them from a single household.
“The victims include a pregnant woman, two nursing mothers, and several young children,” he said.
Those abducted were identified as:
- Talatu Kabiru, 20
- Magaji, 6
- Kande, 5
- Hadiza, 10
- Mariam, 6
- Saima, 5
- Habibat (housewife)
- Fatima Yusufu (housewife)
- Sarah Sunday, 22 (pregnant woman)
- Lami Fidelis, 23 (nursing mother)
- Haja Na Allah (nursing mother)
Eyewitnesses said the terrorists advanced through multiple sections of the community, leaving walls and doors riddled with bullet holes. Spent AK-47 shells were later recovered from several locations after the gunmen retreated with their captives.
The incident has triggered heightened tension across Isapa and nearby settlements, as security operatives and local vigilante groups intensify search-and-rescue operations.
Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, confirmed the attack.
“Yes, there was an incident, but I cannot say much now. I am about to enter Isapa from Ilorin. I will update you when I get there,” he said.
Nigeria continues to battle one of its worst security crises in history, with communities across several states facing relentless waves of violent attacks and kidnappings.
