The police have arrested 33 suspects connected to the 18 November 2025 attack on the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, where three worshippers were killed and 38 others abducted. Force Public Relations Officer Anthony Placid disclosed the arrests in a statement issued on Tuesday, identifying the suspects as part of a broader network involved in terrorism, kidnapping, and armed robbery. He stated the 33 are among 50 individuals apprehended in coordinated operations across Kwara State, including in Gbugbu, Ora-Ago, Babanla, Kaiama, Awi, Charagi, Patigi, and Okeode.
Named suspects include Abubakar Usman (alias Siddi), Ibrahim Sa'idu (alias Idi Soho), Adamu Mohammad (aka Baushe/Dogo), and Abdullahi Abubakar (aka Bature). According to Placid, several principal suspects are prepared for prosecution, while efforts continue to capture remaining accomplices. Security operatives recovered an anti-aircraft rifle, ten AK-47 rifles, seven magazines, 32 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, five walkie-talkies, and a camouflage hydration backpack during the operations.
The attack on the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, Eruku, occurred during a church service and was captured in a video showing congregants fleeing amid gunfire. President Bola Tinubu confirmed the rescue of the 38 abductees days after the incident. The police said investigations are ongoing, with more arrests anticipated as they work to dismantle the criminal network.
The arrest of 33 suspects tied to the Eruku church attack places Abubakar Usman, Ibrahim Sa'idu, Adamu Mohammad, and Abdullahi Abubakar at the centre of a security reckoning in Kwara State, where armed groups now operate with alarming coordination. The recovery of an anti-aircraft rifle and ten AK-47s suggests these networks are not just rural bandits but possess military-grade firepower, raising serious questions about how such weapons enter circulation.
This incident reflects a deeper erosion of security in Kwara's forested zones, where criminal syndicates exploit weak state presence and porous borders. The fact that 50 suspects were rounded up across multiple towns indicates the scale is no longer isolated but systemic. The police's claim of dismantling networks gains weight from the seizure of communication devices and tactical gear, pointing to structured operations rather than spontaneous raids.
For rural communities in Eruku, Patigi, and Okeode, the attack and subsequent arrests offer little comfort—security remains reactive, not preventive. Farmers, worshippers, and traders continue to live under threat, with no visible shift in protection on the ground. The pattern mirrors broader national trends: high-profile arrests follow high-casualty events, but prevention remains elusive.
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