The agrarian community of Eda Oniyo-Ekiti in Ilejemeje Local Government Area in Ekiti State paid a total of ₦25.5 million, five bags of rice, 150 litres of petrol and other food items to secure the release of 15 worshippers abducted during a church crusade, ending a 67-day ordeal that claimed the life of an 84-year-old woman in captivity.
The victims, who were kidnapped by about 10 armed men during a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) open-air crusade at Eda Oniyo-Ekiti in Ilejemeje Local Government Area on April 28, 2026 regained their freedom in the early hours of Saturday after weeks of negotiations and repeated ransom payments.
It was gathered that the kidnappers initially collected ₦10.5 million from the community in May, alongside food items, but reneged on their promise to release the captives. Instead, they increased their demand, at one point insisting on ₦100 million, before reducing it to ₦50 million and eventually accepting an additional ₦15 million following prolonged negotiations.
The abductors finally released the victims at a location beyond the Egbe community in Kogi State after receiving the second payment, bringing the total ransom paid to ₦25.5 million, in addition to five bags of rice, five 30-litre kegs of petrol, loaves of bread, cartons of noodles, soft drinks and other supplies they demanded.
During the April attack, the gunmen stormed the church at about 7 p.m., shot and killed a visiting pastor before abducting 16 worshippers, including women, children and elderly persons. While 15 victims returned alive, an 84-year-old woman reportedly died in captivity after enduring harsh conditions and prolonged stress.
When the victims were brought to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital on Saturday, they appeared visibly weak, exhausted and traumatised as they began receiving medical treatment.
Speaking after the release, National President of the Eda Progressive Union (EPU), Rufus Ajayi, revealed that residents raised the ransom through donations from community members at home and in the diaspora, with many contributing as little as ₦1,000.
“We had no option but to continue pleading with them. We borrowed money, sold our properties and appealed continuously because our community could not raise the amount they initially demanded,” Ajayi said.
According to him, the kidnappers eventually realised that the funds were coming solely from members of the community and not from government sources, prompting them to reduce their demand.
“They insisted that apart from the money, we must provide five bags of rice, five 30-litre kegs of petrol, bread, Indomie, soft drinks and several other food items. We supplied everything because our priority was to bring our people home alive,” he added.
Ajayi disclosed that members of the negotiation team spent three days travelling through remote forests in Kwara and Kogi states before completing the handover process. He said the kidnappers initially demanded that the supplies be transported on motorcycles because of the difficult terrain before later agreeing to allow vehicles to move as close as possible to the designated location.
Reflecting on the ordeal, the community leader acknowledged public frustration over the perceived lack of direct government intervention but said he understood the authorities’ reluctance to negotiate with kidnappers.
“If government starts paying kidnappers directly, it may encourage more abductions. In the end, it was what we contributed and borrowed within our own community that secured the freedom of our people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Area, Pius Alabi, described the victims’ return as a moment of both relief and grief.
“We are grateful that our people have returned safely, but our joy is incomplete because we lost one of the victims during the painful ordeal,” he said, commending the Ekiti State Government, security agencies and community leaders for their roles in securing the release.
Also confirming the development, the Ekiti State Police Command said the victims regained their freedom following sustained intelligence-led operations carried out by the police in collaboration with the military, the Amotekun Corps, local hunters and the state government.
Police spokesperson, SP Sunday Abutu, said efforts had been intensified to arrest those responsible for the abduction, while assuring residents of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.
