Terror Upon Terror: Nigeria Shaken by School Abductions and Deadly Church Attack

Just days after more than twenty schoolgirls were kidnapped in the northwestern state of Kebbi, Nigeria was once again plunged into grief and fear. On the evening of 18 November, terror struck once more, this time inside a small Pentecostal church in the city of Euru, in Ekiti State, where an armed group stormed in and killed two people.

A relentless chain of attacks

The wave of anguish had begun only the day before. On 17 November, a gang descended upon the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School. Amid the chaos, two terrified students managed to escape, and one of them, wounded and shaken, somehow found her way home.

Barely 24 hours later, another violent attack tore through the community of Kushe Gugdu, where a priest from the Archdiocese of Kaduna was abducted, another life suddenly shrouded in uncertainty and danger.

Then came the assault on Christ Apostolic Church in Oke Isegun in Kwara State, a region that has become a transit corridor for armed groups moving between northern and southern Nigeria. Thick forests, isolated roads, and limited police presence have turned this area into fertile ground for militias and criminal gangs.

Terror inside a church

Footage from the church’s security cameras has helped authorities piece together the horror that unfolded. The state police described the attackers as “bandits”, revealing that they had climbed over the fence before immediately opening fire.

Inside the church, panic gripped the congregation. The pastor urged worshippers to hide in a small room, locking it behind them, while others sought refuge behind the altar or beneath heavy drapes.

Once inside, the attackers, some wearing masks, rifled through the handbags left behind by fleeing women. Moments later, they began what survivors described with tears as a “hunt” for captives. A total of 35 people, men and women, the elderly and the young, were seized and dragged into the darkness of the forest.

Security officers, blinded and overwhelmed by the tear gas used by the attackers, were unable to enter the church until long after the assault had begun.

By the time the shooting stopped, one man lay dead at the scene, and another body was discovered deep within the forest as police carried out their search. Survivors, trembling as they recounted the ordeal, spoke of seeing nearly a hundred empty bullet casings scattered across the church floor.

A nation searching for peace

In the wake of the tragedy, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu cancelled his planned visit to South Africa and Angola. Instead, he remained in the country to receive urgent security briefings and monitor the unfolding crises in Kebbi and Kwara.

He has since vowed to strengthen national security and restore a sense of safety to a country where kidnapping has tragically evolved into a cruel and profitable industry.

For the families waiting for news of their loved ones, for the survivors still shaken by the memories, and for a nation weary of mourning, hope feels fragile. Yet, even in the midst of sorrow, Nigerians continue to pray, to persevere, and to long for the day when peace will finally return.