Bandits abduct eight worshippers in Kwara church attack, three rescued

Bandits abducted eight worshippers at an ECWA church in Omugo, Oro-Ago community, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Sunday morning. Three of the abductees were later rescued by joint security forces.

The attack occurred hours after the Coordinator of the Joint Security Watch for Kwara South Senatorial District, Zubair Olaitan, issued an alert warning of an imminent attack on communities in Ifelodun, Irepodun, and Isin local government areas.

The Kwara State Government has tasked security forces and local vigilantes with ensuring that the bandits behind the attack on ECWA Church Omugo are apprehended.

The government also commended the security forces, forest guards, and local vigilantes for the rescue of three of the abductees, while condemning the “cowardly” targeting of religious places under any guise.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, the Kwara State Government urged security forces, forest guards, local vigilantes, and community members to continue working together to end the menace.

“While commending the immediate response of the security forces and other stakeholders, we task them to ensure that the ongoing manhunt leads to the rescue of the remaining victims and arrest of the perpetrators,” the statement added.

The government further commended the security forces, forest guards, and vigilantes for the appreciable progress made in combing the forests, which has largely curtailed the activities of criminals in the area.

The government assured residents of its continued commitment to working with security forces and community stakeholders to protect lives and property.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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