The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that at least two people were killed and one injured following coordinated attacks by suspected bandits in Eruku, a border town in the Ekiti Local Government Area of the state.

A parish of the Christ Apostolic Church was among the targets, where the attackers reportedly opened fire on worshippers during a special service.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the incident occurred around 6 p.m. on November 18, 2025.

“The Kwara State Police Command confirms an attempted bandit attack in Eruku, which occurred at about 18:00 hours of today, 18th November 2025. The DPO Eruku and his team of police operatives, in collaboration with vigilantes, swiftly responded to the sound of gunshots emanating from the outskirts of the town, prompting the hoodlums to flee into the bush,” the statement read.

Police confirmed that a worshipper, Mr. Aderemi, was shot dead inside the church, while the body of another victim, Mr. Tunde Asaba Ajayi, was later discovered in the bush. A vigilante member, Segun Alaja, sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to ECWA Hospital, Eruku, for treatment.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Adekimi Ojo, commended the swift response of security operatives and assured residents that efforts to restore safety would continue, saying the command “will not relent until these hoodlums are totally decimated.”

PUNCH Online had earlier reported that at least three worshippers were killed on the spot, quoting an eyewitness who said the gunmen stormed the church mid-service and began shooting indiscriminately before abducting the pastor and several congregants.

“The gunmen came into the church while people were gathered. They started shooting and three people died immediately. They later rounded up some worshippers, including the pastor, and marched them into the bush,” the eyewitness said.

Shortly after the church attack, the assailants reportedly launched another assault along the Ilorin-Kabba Road, forcing travellers to abandon their vehicles and flee into nearby bushes.

A traveller returning from Niger State recounted in a voice note obtained by The PUNCH: “They came around 6:30 p.m. and started shooting. Two people were killed instantly, and we don’t even know how many were taken.”

Community leaders say Eruku has suffered multiple attacks in the past three weeks, with little respite.

“We have begged the local and state governments for help, but nothing concrete has come. We are living in fear every day… We need federal help. These attacks are becoming too much for us to bear. We are pleading with the President to intervene urgently,” Mr. Benjamin Ayeoribe lamented.

Despite ongoing efforts by vigilantes, hunters, and the police, the attackers continue to exploit the porous border region.

Kwara State has witnessed a troubling rise in banditry, killings, and kidnappings in recent months, with border communities bearing the brunt of the violence.