Residents of Eda-Oniyo Community in Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State have staged a peaceful protest over the continued captivity of 16 residents abducted by gunmen during a church service, despite the payment of ₦10.5million ransom and other items demanded by their captors.
The protesters, including community leaders, women, youths and relatives of the victims, accused authorities of failing to secure the release of the abductees, who have remained in captivity for 36 days.
The victims were kidnapped on April 28, 2026, when armed men suspected to be bandits invaded a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) during a worship service in the community.
During the attack, the church’s presiding pastor was reportedly killed while 16 worshippers were taken away by the gunmen.
According to the protesters, the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦1billion before reducing it to ₦150million and later ₦50million.
However, despite the community raising and paying ₦10.5million alongside other materials requested by the abductors, the victims have not been released.
Speaking during the protest, a community leader, Ayodele Ajayi, said residents had exhausted their resources in efforts to secure the freedom of their loved ones.
“Our people have been in captivity for 36 days. We contributed what we could as a community and paid ₦10.5million, but the kidnappers refused to release them. Instead, they are demanding more money.
“There are 16 victims in total. Most of them are women, while two are young boys. We are pleading with governments at all levels to come to our aid and rescue our people,” Ajayi said.
Another resident, Mrs Ajayi, lamented that children and elderly persons were among those still being held by the kidnappers.
“We have children as young as two and three years old and an elderly woman who is over 80 years old among those kidnapped. Families are suffering, and children keep asking for their mothers.
“We are begging the federal, state and local governments to help secure their release. Women are crying, children are crying, and the entire community is in pain,” she said.
A community representative, Ayodele Oni, said residents felt abandoned after complying with all the demands made by the kidnappers.
“We raised ₦10.5million, supplied two bags of rice and several other items they requested, including fuel and cigarettes. Yet our people are still being held,” he said.
Oni described the process of delivering the ransom as traumatic, alleging that community representatives travelled through parts of Kwara and Kogi states and trekked deep into forests before handing over the money to the kidnappers.
The protesters also demanded the establishment of a permanent security post in Eda-Oniyo and a military base along the Ekiti-Kwara boundary, which they said has become a major route for criminal gangs operating across the region.
According to them, the absence of adequate security presence has left several communities vulnerable to attacks by armed groups.
