‘DSS, Military Directly Contacted Bandits To Free 38 Eruku Church Worshippers’: Presidency Confirm

• The Presidency says DSS operatives and the military made direct contact with the bandits who abducted 38 worshippers in Kwara, insisting the kidnappers released the victims after “understanding the consequences” of disobeying government orders.

The Bola Tinubu-led Presidency said the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the military established contact with the bandits to secure the release of the 38 victims abducted from a church in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this on Monday during an interview on Arise Television, insisting that security agencies made direct contact with the kidnappers and demanded the victims’ immediate release.

According to Onanuga, the bandits complied because they understood the consequences of defying government orders.

“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,” he said.

He explained that security agencies had established methods of tracking armed groups but often exercise restraint to avoid harming abducted civilians who are frequently used as human shields.

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“The security people — at the risk of revealing how they work — have a way of tracking these people. They know what’s going on at any time. What sometimes restrains them from going after the kidnappers is the risk of collateral damage,” he added.

Onanuga was pressed on how the hostages were released without a direct military confrontation, especially given the bandits had previously killed some victims during the church attack.

He maintained that the government’s priority was to secure the safe return of all abducted persons.

“They contacted them to release the victims because the bandits know the consequences of not listening to government demands,” he said.

“The first thing 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.”

All 38 abducted worshippers were reportedly rescued alive, though authorities have not yet disclosed operational details or whether further action is underway against the kidnappers.

The Eruku attack has intensified public concern over rising insecurity in Kwara South and neighbouring states, renewing calls for stronger intelligence operations and community protection measures.