By Editorial Staff 
One of the survivors of the bandit attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku, Kwara State, has revealed that the forest where their captors hid them was under the control of terrorists.
The church was invaded by terrorists on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, during an evening service, which was on a live stream.
He spoke a few minutes after President Bola Tinubu announced that all 38 worshippers had been rescued by security operatives on Sunday, November 23, 2025.
According to him, the forest was dominated by terrorists, revealing how the criminal elements boasted about their status as being “bandits”.
He said, “They made us know that there is no one who can slip away without being caught. And with what we saw, nobody can escape.”
Revealing how the bandits manoeuvre the forest, he said, “From that place, they have dominated. They knew all the routes surrounding all those bushes within Kwara and other cities. They knew it.”
On how the attackers invaded the church during a live evening service, he said, “It was a sudden act, a terrifying act. Because that evening, after 30 minutes of the programme, we just heard gunshots,” who said he initially mistook the gunshots for “sparking of some wire.”
Background
On November 18, 2025, a group of heavily armed men attacked a branch of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) at Oke Isegun in the Eruku community, a boundary town with Kogi in the Ekiti LGA of Kwara State, and abducted over 30 church members, killing at least three people while others sustained injuries.
Members of the church heard gunshots during a live stream, leading to the pastor and the congregation scampering for safety. Later, some terrorists were seen entering the church.
More than five armed terrorists were seen in the video clip entering the church and ransacking the place, carting away belongings of church members.
A witness who was quoted by The Punch said, “The gunmen came into the church while people were gathered. They started shooting, and three people died immediately. They later rounded up some worshippers, including the pastor, and marched them into the bush.”
A community leader in the area said the terrorists had been operating in the area for some time, stating that calls to the government had not yielded any outcome.
“We have begged the local and state governments for help, but nothing concrete has come. We are living in fear every day.”
Meanwhile, the church resumed service on November 23, 2025, and later, the president, on his social media handle, said that security operatives had rescued the abducted church members.
During the service, where the church was seen as scanty, the pastor said members of the church should emulate Jesus, stating that “Jesus has promised you eternal life.
“Let us not fear death; wherever death comes, don’t offend Jesus. As long as you don’t offend Jesus, the promise is for you that you will wear the crown of life and be in the kingdom of God.”
There were no further details on how they were rescued. However, some Nigerians on social media claimed that ransom may have been paid, “since the government failed to show photos where the criminals were killed”