Thirty-three suspects linked to the November 20, 2025 attack on the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, have been arrested. The operation was conducted by the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team across Kwara and Kogi states. Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Placid, police spokesman, disclosed the details at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday. The attack on the church during evening service resulted in three deaths and the kidnapping of 38 members, including the pastor. The incident was live-streamed, triggering national attention.
Placid stated that the suspects were involved in kidnapping, armed robbery, terrorism, cattle rustling, culpable homicide and arms dealing. Recovered items included seven AK-47 rifles, one anti-aircraft launcher, 32 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, seven magazines, five walkie-talkies and a camouflage hydration backpack. Some weapons were abandoned during police operations and later recovered. Arrests were made in Gbugbu, Ora-Ago, Baballa, Kaiama, Awi, Charagi, Patigi and Okeode. Preliminary investigations indicate a well-coordinated criminal network. The police are continuing efforts to apprehend other members and recover more weapons.
The arrest of 33 suspects tied to the Eruku church attack, including the recovery of an anti-aircraft launcher, exposes the alarming scale of firepower now accessible to non-state criminal groups in Nigeria's Middle Belt. That such a weapon was found in the hands of a network allegedly involved in kidnapping and cattle rustling suggests a deep, unregulated flow of military-grade arms—far beyond what typical bandit cells are assumed to possess.
This case is not isolated but symptomatic of a broader collapse in regional security architecture. The fact that the attack occurred during a live-streamed service and targeted a church in Kwara, a state often considered less volatile than its neighbours, indicates that criminal groups are operating with increasing boldness and geographic reach. The involvement of the Force Intelligence Department's IRT, rather than local commands, underscores the national-level concern such operations now command.
Ordinary Nigerians in rural communities like Eruku are paying the price through loss of life, trauma and forced displacement. The kidnapping of a pastor and congregants during worship shatters any illusion of sanctuary, even in places of prayer. Farmers and worshippers alike now live under the shadow of armed groups that move freely across state lines.
The pattern is clear: coordinated attacks, sophisticated weaponry and delayed state response. Until the supply of heavy arms is curtailed and intelligence-led operations become routine rather than reactive, such violence will continue to escalate.
