‘Completely false’ — police dismiss video claiming arrest of bandits involved in Kwara church attack

The Kwara police command has dismissed a viral video circulating on social media claiming that some bandits who attacked worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Ekiti LGA, of the state have been arrested.

The footage, shared widely on WhatsApp and Facebook, alleged that vigilantes had apprehended the suspects less than two days after the attack on the place of worship and abduction of some church members.

In a statement on Thursday, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, police spokesperson in Kwara, said the video was “completely false” and urged the public to ignore it.

Ejire-Adeyemi said the command was aware of the circulating video but noted that the claim had no basis.

“The Kwara State Police Command is aware of a video circulating online claiming that the bandits who attacked church worshippers in the Eruku community have been arrested,” the statement reads.

“This information is completely false and should be disregarded.”

The police spokesperson said no suspect had been arrested in relation to the attack, noting that security teams are continuing operations to locate the victims.

“The command wishes to state clearly that no arrest has been made yet in connection with the attack,” Ejire-Adeyemi said.

“Security agencies are actively conducting intensified operations in and around Eruku town to track down the perpetrators and ensure the safe recovery of the abducted victims.”

Ejire-Adeyemi expressed concern about the speed at which unverified claims spread during emergencies, warning that such misinformation could worsen tension and obstruct rescue efforts.

She also implored residents to refrain from circulating unverified information that could mislead communities or incite fear.

She assured the public that all efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims and restore calm to the affected community.

Meanwhile, bandits, who abducted about 35 worshippers from the church, have reportedly demanded N100 million ransom for each victim.

On Tuesday evening, bandits attacked the church, killing some of the worshippers and abducting others.

A video of the attack, captured during a live stream, showed the worshippers conducting a service when sporadic gunshots were heard from around the church premises.