Five of the eight worshippers abducted from the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Omugo, Kwara State, on March 22, 2026, have been confirmed dead, according to a statement released by the pastor of the church.
The victims were killed despite families and well-wishers paying ransoms running into tens of millions of naira in the hope of securing their release. Three others remain in the captors’ custody.
The five confirmed dead are: Elder Chief David Omopariola, Chief Joseph Ibitoye Afariogun, Mrs Iyabo Aniyi, Elder Joshua Akanbi Adeyemi and Mrs Rachel Oluwaremilekun Omole.
Among the deceased is Mrs Omole Remi, a teacher with the Kwara State Teaching Service Commission and the wife of the church’s pastor-in-charge, Reverend Sunday Timothy Omole, who announced the deaths.
The news was brought by Mr Sunday Bakare, one of the original eight abductees, who escaped captivity and reported that only three persons remain in the hands of the kidnappers.
In a statement, Rev. Omole said, “Heaven is our home and gain. Let’s reason as children of God as we navigate this moment. God bless you and comfort us all, in Jesus’ Name.”
The abduction has drawn widespread condemnation from Christian bodies, including the ECWA Ilorin District Church Council, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Pentecostal Fellowship Assembly (PFA), all of which have expressed grief over the killings and called attention to the deteriorating security situation in the region.
The incident raises grave concerns about the safety of religious communities and the effectiveness of security responses to kidnapping for ransom in the state. Critics note that the payment of ransom, often the only recourse available to desperate families, did not prevent the brutal murder of the victims.
The three remaining captives have yet to be publicly identified. Security agencies have not stated at the time of this report. #Securitynewsalert.com
