Kwara ECWA members’ kidnappers want N300m after collecting N20m, rice, oil, petrol

By Demola Akinyemi, ILORIN

Pastor Sunday Omole of ECWA church Omugo, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara state, whose wife was abducted by terrorists along with others, has tasked the government to raid the forests between the community and Kogi State, to rescue the victims.

Omole spoke in an interview with Vanguard on Friday, on the sideline of fresh demand of N300 million by terrorists, after N20 million ransom was paid land other items, as demanded, were given the kidnappers last month.

He noted that government’s intervention has now become inevitable because the terrorists have resorted to exploiting families and relations of victims in their custody by collecting ransom and other items without releasing them.

Ransom list

According to him, “We took N20 million ransom to the terrorists together with five bags of rice, four kegs of 30 litres petrol, one keg of red oil, one packet of seasoning, N40,000 worth of hard drugs.

“Since then, we have been expecting our people. It’s almost a month now, precisely on the 29th of April 2026; they refused to release them.

“The terrorists have been collecting ransom and not releasing people in the community.

“Another young man was kidnapped three weeks ago. They collected ransom of N2 million about three days ago, and refused to release him.

“The young man was returning from his farm where he went to look for what to eat, when they abducted him.
“That’s what we are passing through. It not been easy.”

On what can be done to stop kidnappings in the community, the clergyman said: ”It’s the government that can do it. If the government is ready to do it, they can stop this menace that is happening to us in our area.

“Government can raid the forests and get rid of them with the help of the Air Force and soldiers. They can do it easily. It’s very easy.

“According to what people are saying, these people are not more than 400. Even if they are up to 500, the government can do it. They’re the ones that can help us.

“If they go into the forest, they can raid the place. But they have neglected the place.”

‘Soldiers just walk about’

Omole also said that soldiers deployed to Omugo community, never went to the forests where the terrorists are, but will rather be walking around the community.

“Each time they sent in soldiers, the soldiers will not reach the forests arear. They’ll just be walking around the community and say they’re working.

“The soldiers never entered the real forests where the terrorists are.”

On how he has been coping without his kidnapped wife, he said: “I have been devastated ooo. It has not been easy. It has become an issue and a war in my bones.

“Up till now they have not released my wife. They are still demanding for N300 million.
Each time they call they ask us how much have we raised. It’s like they want to be exploiting us.”

Omole, however, said he has relocated from Omugo community after the incident, adding that the community is now deserted and that the church had been closed down

“I have moved out of Omugo. The community is deserted.

“We have closed the church since that incident. I have not stepped my foot on the church since that incident,” he said.

On whether there’s no security outfit in Omugo community, he said: “The community built one security building. Immediately the incident happened, the commissioner of police sent in about 10 police officers. They’re the ones policing Omugo now.”

On how the terrorists kidnap the young man returning from his farm despite the presence of police in Omugo, he said: “They kidnapped the person on his farm.”

Have you spoken with madam at all?

“We have not been hearing her voice. But the day we took ransom to them, I heard her voice and she was happy, since then I have not been able to hear her voice.”

Where do you think these terrorists are, with your wife and others?

“They must be between Kogi and Kwara forests. There’s a forests that leads from Omugo to Kogi State, and the same forest leads to Niger slState. So they should be in that area?”

And the security agents can’t trace them with the calls and other devices?

“I don’t know. Each time they’ll come and collect phone numbers for tracking. Till now we haven’t heard any positive response from the Police or the government.

Is it their phone, or victims numbers they’re using to call you people?

“I don’t think it’s the victims number. The last time, someone gave us their number. We later found out that it’s not their real number.”

Any support from the government or the Church?

“Not even a greeting from the government. There was no statement by government about what happened in Omugo.

“They haven’t reached out to us. It’s only the church that stood by us.”
Vanguard News

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