The pain of kidnapping has taken a devastating turn for families of worshippers abducted from an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) congregation in Kwara State, after five of the victims, including the pastor’s wife, were confirmed dead in captivity more than two months after their abduction.
The tragic development has cast a dark shadow over the community of Omugo in Oro Ago District of Ifelodun Local Government Area, where armed men stormed the church during a Sunday worship service on March 22, 2026, and abducted eight congregants.
For weeks, families, church members and community leaders held onto hope that negotiations would secure the safe return of their loved ones. Instead, that hope has been shattered by news that five of the abductees did not survive their ordeal.
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The church’s minister, Rev. Timothy Omole, broke the heartbreaking news to members through the church’s WhatsApp platform before later confirming it in a telephone interview.
“It is with deep pain in my heart that I inform you that out of eight people that were abducted from ECWA Omugo on the 22nd of March, 2026, only three are still with the kidnappers,” the cleric said. “The remaining five have been with the Lord.”
Among those confirmed dead is Rev. Omole’s wife, Mrs. Rachael Oluwaremilekun Omole. Others are Elder Chief David Omopariola, Chief Joseph Ibitoye Afariogun, Mrs. Iyabo Aniyi and Elder Joshua Akanbi Adeyemi.
The deaths have sent shockwaves through the church and the wider community, where many had been praying and working tirelessly for the victims’ release.
The grim news was reportedly relayed by Mr. Sunday Bakare, one of the abductees who managed to escape after spending more than a month in captivity. According to Rev. Omole, Bakare informed the church that five members of the group had died, while three others remain in the custody of the kidnappers.
Although the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear, sources familiar with the negotiations suggest that some of the victims were suffering from health conditions and were denied access to their medications while in captivity.
If confirmed, the development would underscore the harsh and often inhumane conditions endured by kidnapping victims across many parts of Nigeria.
The attack on the church itself was brazen. Witnesses recalled how gunmen invaded the worship service, firing sporadically into the air and causing panic among congregants. As worshippers fled for safety, the attackers seized eight individuals and disappeared into a nearby forest.
The incident immediately triggered efforts by families, community leaders and church authorities to secure the victims’ freedom.
Initially, the kidnappers reportedly demanded a staggering ₦1 billion ransom. Negotiations later reduced the amount to ₦150 million, but even that figure remained beyond the reach of the victims’ families.
Determined to save their loved ones, relatives reportedly pooled resources and eventually raised about ₦20 million. In addition to the cash, food items and other supplies allegedly requested by the abductors were also delivered.
The efforts, however, yielded no positive outcome. Sources said the kidnappers collected both the money and supplies but failed to release any of the captives.
The tragedy has renewed concerns over the growing threat of kidnapping in rural communities, particularly in areas where security presence is limited. Religious institutions, schools and farming communities have increasingly become targets of criminal gangs seeking large ransom payments.
For the families of the deceased, the loss is especially painful because it comes after months of uncertainty, sacrifice and hope. They now face the difficult task of mourning loved ones whose final moments remain largely unknown.
As prayers continue for the three worshippers still believed to be in captivity, church members are calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue them and bring the perpetrators to justice.
For ECWA Omugo, what began as an ordinary Sunday worship service has become a painful reminder of the human cost of insecurity. The church now mourns five faithful members whose lives ended far from home, while anxiously waiting for news of the three who remain missing in the forests of Kwara State.
