President Bola Tinubu has confirmed that all 38 worshippers abducted from Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku, in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State have been rescued. He also announced the recovery of 51 pupils abducted from St Mary Catholic School in Niger State.
In a statement posted on X by Olusegun Dada, the president’s special assistant on social media, Tinubu said:
“Thanks to the efforts of our security forces over the last few days, all the 38 worshippers abducted in Eruku, Kwara State have been rescued. I am equally happy that 51 out of the missing students of the Catholic School in Niger State have been recovered.”
The Chief Press Secretary to Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, confirmed the development, noting that the rescue was the result of coordinated efforts by security agencies under the hands-on supervision of President Tinubu. The abductees regained their freedom on 23 November 2025.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq expressed gratitude to the president for personally leading the initiative. Security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Army, Nigerian Intelligence Agency, and Nigeria Police, deployed four new tactical teams to Kwara on Tinubu’s directive.
In Niger State, Reverend Sister Felicia Gyam and teacher Martha Mathias, both from St Mary Catholic School, recounted harrowing escapes from bandits. Sister Gyam said she and others hid children in the school compound as gunmen attacked late at night. Mathias shared how her daughter’s courage prevented her abduction, though her husband was taken.
Meanwhile, Most Rev Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, disclosed that 50 out of 315 children abducted on Friday had escaped and reunited with their parents. According to his media aide, Daniel Atori, the remaining captives include 236 pupils, 14 secondary students, and 12 staff members.
The president had reportedly called off his scheduled trip to the G20 meeting in South Africa to oversee security operations in Kwara and Kebbi states, underscoring the federal government’s priority to resolve recent abductions.
