KWARA State Government on Wednesday ordered the immediate closure of schools across four Local Government Areas following a deadly bandit attack in Eruku, Ekiti LGA, that left three worshippers dead and more than 35 others abducted.
News Point Nigeria reports that the directive affects schools in Isin, Irepodun, Ifelodun, and Ekiti LGAs, and was communicated through a circular issued by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Kwara State Wing.
The circular was signed by the NUT Chairman, Yusuf Agboola, who said the union was acting strictly on instructions from the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development.
According to the memo, the shutdown became necessary after intelligence reports indicated heightened security threats across Kwara South.
“This decision was occasioned by the security challenges ravaging the area and the efforts of the government to control the situation,” the circular read, urging school heads to treat the directive with utmost urgency.
Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, on Wednesday visited Eruku for an on-the-spot assessment of Tuesday night’s devastating attack in which armed bandits stormed a church during a thanksgiving service, killed three worshippers, and kidnapped over 35 others.
The governor announced that he had initiated discussions with top security chiefs, including the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately establish: A Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Nigerian Army in Eruku andnd a Mobile Police Squadron in the community.
“We will speak with the GOC to see that we have a Forward Operating Base in Eruku,” he said. “Our main purpose here is to commiserate with the people. All security agencies are on this. The President had to cancel his trip to the G-20 because of this incident and that of Kebbi State. We are on top of the situation.”
Residents, however, say the attack lasted nearly an hour with no intervention despite the presence of nearby security formations.
For many locals, the governor’s visit came after a long night of terror and frustration.
One resident, Adesuyi Joshua, who lost his wife and granddaughter to the kidnappers, recounted the moment the attackers stormed the church.
“At first, we thought the gunshots were knockouts. Before we realised, they were already inside. We tried to mobilise to confront them, but it was too late,” he said.
He accused the police of exacerbating the tragedy rather than helping.
“When we were pursuing the bandits, the police started shooting from their gate. We thought the bandits were attacking again. They later tear-gassed us and allowed the attackers to escape.”
Another youth leader, Shola Peters, expressed anger over what he called systematic failure by law enforcement.
“These same police officers we housed and supported failed us. They stopped us instead of joining the pursuit. The IGP must probe this division. All they do is harass young boys and tag them as Yahoo boys.”
He added that the community’s vigilantes, armed with only farm tools and a few Dane guns, confronted the bandits wielding AK-49 rifles and machine guns.
The attacked church’s President Pastor, Lawrence Abiodun Bamidele, said the congregation had gathered for a thanksgiving service for 18 residents rescued from kidnapping three weeks earlier.
“We were thanking God for their safe return, not knowing danger was lurking. They surrounded the church and started shooting. Three people died instantly. Over 35 were taken,” he said, describing the assault as unprecedented in Kwara State.
The Ekiti LGA Coordinator of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Kenneth Adigoke, said the incident could be interpreted as a direct attack on the Christian community.
“If anyone says this is genocide against Christians, it can be justified,” he said. “Government must address this matter without bias.”
Hours after the attack, hundreds of enraged youths barricaded the Ilorin–Kabba Expressway, setting bonfires and blocking traffic for hours.
They accused security agencies of abandoning Eruku despite repeated warnings and distress calls.
A vigilante operative told journalists that the attack occurred suspiciously soon after forest guards and local security volunteers were summoned to Ilorin for training.
“This is similar to what happened in Oke Ode when rifles were collected from vigilantes before an attack. The government must investigate.”
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, visited the scene alongside the state Director of the DSS and pledged immediate reinforcement.
“We will bring the perpetrators to justice. An Armoured Personnel Carrier will be stationed here permanently,” he assured.
The Owa of Eruku, Oba Busari Arinde Oyediran Olanrewaju, told the governor that communities in the region had been suffering unreported attacks for months.
“All our teachers have run away. Farmers too. We contribute money to free kidnapped people. The bad road helps the bandits escape. This has been happening for months,” he lamented.