The Bola Tinubu administration has confirmed that Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) and the military made direct contact with the armed bandits responsible for abducting 38 worshippers from a church in Eruku, Kwara State, leading to the victims’ safe release.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, shared details of the operation during an interview on Arise Television. He explained that security agencies reached out to the kidnappers with a firm demand for the immediate and unconditional release of the captives. “After the incident happened, the DSS and the military were involved in the rescue efforts. They got in contact with the bandits to release those people unharmed, and finally, on Sunday, they were able to get them out,” Onanuga stated.
According to Onanuga, the bandits complied due to their awareness of the grave consequences of defying government orders. He further noted that while security forces have advanced methods to track armed groups, operational caution is often exercised to prevent endangering hostages, who are frequently used as human shields.
Pressed on the absence of a direct military confrontation, Onanuga emphasized that the government’s overriding priority was the safe return of the abducted worshippers. “The first thing the government must do is get those people freed. That objective has been achieved. The next level of action is for the security agencies, and I don’t want to pre-empt them,” he said.
All 38 abducted individuals were reportedly rescued alive, though officials have withheld further details about the operation or subsequent steps against the perpetrators. The high-profile Eruku abduction has heightened public anxiety over insecurity in Kwara South and nearby regions, fueling calls for enhanced intelligence and improved community protection.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
