Abducted Kwara pastor’s wife, four worshippers die in captivity
Only three left among abducted eight
The wife of a cleric, Rachael Oluwaremilekun Omole, and four other worshippers abducted during an attack on an ECWA church in Omugo, Oro Ago District of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, have reportedly died while in captivity.
The victims were among eight worshippers kidnapped on March 22, 2026, when armed men stormed the church during a Sunday service, shooting sporadically before whisking congregants into a nearby forest.
The development was confirmed by the pastor of the church, Rev. Timothy Omole, who communicated the tragic update to members of the congregation via a WhatsApp message and also spoke with journalists in a telephone interview.
According to him, three of the abducted worshippers are still believed to be in the hands of the kidnappers, while five have died.
“It is with deep pain in my heart that I inform you that out of the eight people abducted from ECWA Omugo on March 22, 2026, only three are still with the kidnappers. The remaining five have gone to be with the Lord,” he said.
He listed the deceased as Elder Chief David Omopariola, Chief Joseph Ibitoye Afariogun, Iyabo Aniyi, Elder Joshua Akanbi Adeyemi, and the pastor’s wife.
Rev. Omole said the information was relayed by one of the abductees, Sunday Bakare, who reportedly escaped after spending over a month in captivity. Bakare allegedly informed the church that five of the victims had died, while three others remain alive.
Some of the abductees were said to have been on medication at the time of the kidnapping, but were allegedly denied access to their drugs by their captors.
Following the incident, the kidnappers reportedly demanded a ransom of ₦1 billion, later reduced to ₦150 million during negotiations. Sources said families of the victims eventually raised about ₦20 million, alongside food and other supplies requested by the abductors, but the hostages were not released.
Despite the payments and provisions, the abductors allegedly failed to free the victims.
Security efforts are reportedly ongoing, while the fate of the remaining three abductees remains uncertain.
Read Also: Kidnappers killed Ekiti school bus driver because he didn’t know his wife’s number off-hand’- Parent
