Gunmen attack church in Ekiti, kill pastor, abduct worshippers

The Police Command in Ekiti has launched a manhunt for gunmen who attacked a Christ Apostolic Church at Eda Oniyo-Ekiti, killing a pastor and abducting worshippers.

SP Sunday Abutu, the spokesperson for command, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti.

Abutu said the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 10:30p.m when members of the church were holding a night vigil on the outskirts of the town.

According to him, preliminary investigations reveal that about five armed men invaded the prayer ground, fatally shot the pastor and abducted some members of the congregation.

He said the command has commenced a thorough investigation into the incident, with a coordinated manhunt to apprehend the perpetrators.

Abutu added that the police, in collaboration with the Army, Amotekun Corps, Agro Marshals, local vigilantes and hunters, had commenced bush-combing to rescue the victims.

He urged members of the public to remain calm, noting that necessary measures had been put in place to prevent a recurrence.

Abutu advised religious leaders to comply with the state government’s directive requiring prior notification to security agencies before holding late-night gatherings.

He further called on residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious persons or activities to security agencies.

The command provided an emergency contact number – 08062335577 for prompt reporting of security concerns.