Residents of Eda-Oniyo Community in Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State have staged a peaceful protest, calling on the Federal Government, the Ekiti State Government and security agencies to secure the release of 16 residents who remain in captivity despite the payment of a ₦10.5 million ransom.
The protesters, including community leaders, women, youths and relatives of the victims, expressed frustration over the continued detention of their loved ones 36 days after they were abducted. They said the kidnappers had refused to release the victims and were now demanding an additional ₦50 million ransom.
Carrying placards with various messages, the demonstrators appealed for urgent government intervention. Some of the inscriptions read: “We are peace-loving indigenes. FG, Ekiti State Government, save our loved ones from kidnappers,” “President Tinubu, save us, we are perishing,” and “We are helpless on this issue, save our loved ones from captivity.”
Other placards called for stronger security measures in the area, including the establishment of a functional police divisional headquarters, deployment of forest guards, and the creation of a military base to protect the border community from criminal activities.
The protest follows the abduction of 16 worshippers during an attack on a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eda-Oniyo on April 28, 2026. During the incident, armed men reportedly killed a revivalist identified as Pastor Aregbe before taking the worshippers away.
According to community members, the kidnappers initially demanded ₦1 billion for the release of the victims. The amount was later reduced to ₦150 million before being reviewed to ₦50 million. Despite a community effort that raised ₦10.5 million and delivered several requested supplies, the abductees have not been freed.
Speaking during the protest, a resident, Bose Ajayi, appealed to authorities to urgently rescue the victims, noting that women, children and elderly persons were among those being held.
She said the prolonged captivity had caused immense suffering for affected families, adding that children continued to ask for their missing mothers while relatives lived in constant fear and uncertainty.
“Our people have been in captivity for 36 days. Among them are children as young as two and three years old, as well as an elderly woman who is over 80 years old. Families are going through severe hardship, and the entire community is in pain. We are pleading with all levels of government to intervene and bring them home safely,” she said.
Another resident, Ayodele Ajayi, disclosed that communication with the kidnappers had continued intermittently but lamented that no successful rescue operation had been carried out.
He explained that community members contributed funds to raise the ₦10.5 million ransom, hoping it would secure the release of the captives. However, he said the abductors demanded additional money after receiving the payment.
“There are 16 victims in captivity, most of them women, while two are young boys. We raised what we could as a community and paid ₦10.5 million, but the kidnappers refused to release them. Instead, they are asking for ₦50 million more. We are appealing to the government to rescue our people,” he said.
A community representative, Ayodele Oni, described the process of delivering the ransom and other items demanded by the kidnappers as difficult and traumatic.
According to him, community representatives travelled through parts of Kwara and Kogi states and trekked long distances through forests before making contact with the abductors.
He revealed that, in addition to the ransom, the community supplied two bags of rice, fuel, cigarettes and other provisions requested by the kidnappers.
“We complied with all their demands. We raised ₦10.5 million, provided food items and other supplies, yet our people remain in captivity. After collecting the money, they simply told us we would hear from them later, and since then they have continued making fresh demands,” he said.
Oni expressed concern about the physical and emotional condition of the victims, stressing that spending more than a month in the forest without adequate shelter, healthcare or sanitation posed serious risks to their wellbeing.
The community also renewed calls for improved security infrastructure, including the establishment of a security post within the town and a military base along the Eda-Oniyo and Kwara State boundary. Residents argued that the lack of adequate security presence had made the area vulnerable to repeated attacks by criminal groups.
They urged authorities to act swiftly to rescue the abducted residents and strengthen security measures to prevent future incidents.
Ekiti Community Protests as 16 Kidnap Victims Remain in Captivity 36 Days After ₦10.5m Ransom Payment
