Five Kidnapped Church Worshippers Reportedly Die in Captivity in Kwara

Fresh reports have indicated that at least five worshippers abducted during an attack on an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) congregation in Kwara State may have died while in captivity.

The victims were among church members kidnapped when armed men stormed ECWA Church in Omugo, Oro Ago District of Ifelodun Local Government Area during a church service earlier this year.

The development was confirmed on Wednesday by the Coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Security, Zubair Olaitan, who acknowledged reports suggesting that some of the abducted worshippers had died in the kidnappers’ den.

According to information gathered by POLITICS NIGERIA, the report emerged from accounts allegedly provided by one of the victims who escaped from captivity and managed to return home.

Sources familiar with the situation disclosed that Rachel Oluwaremilekun Omole, wife of the church pastor, was among those reportedly killed. Four other abductees are also feared dead.

One source told reporters that the affected families had already been informed of the tragic development.

“Five of the Omugo abductees have died in captivity,” the source said.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear as there are no confirmed details regarding when, where or how the victims died.

Family members of the abductees were said to have been thrown into mourning following the reports.

The victims were kidnapped on March 22, 2026, when heavily armed attackers invaded the church premises and disrupted worship activities. Witnesses said the gunmen fired several shots, causing panic among worshippers before taking several congregants into the surrounding forest.

The attack sparked outrage across Kwara South and renewed concerns over worsening insecurity in rural communities across the state.

Following the abduction, the kidnappers reportedly established contact with relatives of the victims and initially demanded ₦1 billion as ransom. The amount was later reduced after negotiations.

Sources said families made desperate efforts to secure the release of their loved ones. Apart from raising millions of naira, relatives were also said to have supplied food items and other materials demanded by the abductors.

Despite those efforts, the victims were not released.

Security agencies had earlier assured residents that joint operations involving multiple security formations were underway to rescue the abductees and track down those responsible for the attack.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from security authorities confirming the reported deaths.