By Dare Akogun
THE Kwara State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has welcomed the release of the 38 abducted worshippers of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Isegun, Eruku, in Ekiti Local Government Area of the state.
However, the party said the development did not absolve the state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of responsibility in what it described as “persistent and deepening security failures” across the state.
The worshippers were freed on Sunday, November 23, five days after armed bandits invaded their church, killed some of their fellow worshippers and abducted dozens of others — an attack that exposed once again the widening insecurity along the Kwara–Kogi–Niger border axis.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, on Sunday night, the PDP said while the return of the victims offered relief, it should not be mistaken for a sign of improved security under the AbdulRazaq administration.
The party accused the state government of avoiding critical questions surrounding the incident, alleging further that the governor’s response “distributed gratitude to Abuja” without addressing the gaps that enabled the attack.
The opposition party demanded that the state government tell the world if any of the attackers were arrested or neutralised; if ransoms were paid or not, and if public resources were used for such payments.
It also asked questions on the current physical and psychological condition of the victims, and the preventive measures introduced to forestall future attacks.
“A government that celebrates the release of hostages without the arrest of their captors is merely negotiating a temporary ceasefire with criminals,” the party stated.
It added that true security “is measured not by how many abductees are released, but by how many criminals are arrested, prosecuted, and prevented from striking again.”
The PDP also faulted the Kwara governor for attributing the success of the rescue to the “hands-on” intervention of President Bola Tinubu, arguing that the governor’s emphasis reflected his inability to effectively discharge his duties as the state’s chief security officer.
“If the governor must rely entirely on Tinubu’s intervention each time citizens are attacked or abducted, then it becomes clear that the state leadership has lost grip on its primary constitutional responsibility,” the party said.
It described the governor as “a liability on the Federal Government,” insisting that the rescue “is not a victory for governance” but merely a relief overshadowed by unanswered questions.
The PDP also took aim at the Kwara State First Lady, Olufolake AbdulRazaq, accusing her of attempting to “downplay the gravity of the attack” after she allegedly described the incident as an “attempted attack.”
“With the confirmed release of 38 abducted citizens, her earlier claim has now been exposed as misleading and insensitive,” the party said.
“If, as the First Lady claimed, the attack was only an ‘attempt,’ then who were the 38 people released today?” the party queried.
The Eruku attack is the latest in a growing pattern of violent incidents across border communities in Kwara North. Over the last three years, areas such as Ekiti LGA, Kaiama, Baruten, and parts of Moro have recorded spikes in abductions, bandit raids, and killings in rural communities.
Security analysts have repeatedly warned that criminal gangs displaced from Niger, Kogi, and Kebbi are pushing into sparsely policed Kwara border communities, exploiting both terrain and weak early-warning systems.
The ICIR reported similar migration patterns among armed groups in the North Central region, often exacerbated by poor intelligence sharing and slow security response.
Despite the safe return of the victims, the PDP insisted that Kwara residents remained exposed, citing the absence of clear information about the attackers and the lack of a long-term security plan.
“The return of the Eruku 38, while bringing relief, is not a victory for governance,” the party maintained, adding that “Until the masterminds are apprehended and their networks dismantled, Kwara communities remain vulnerable.”
As of Monday morning, the state government had yet to provide detailed information on the conditions under which the victims were released or whether any members of the bandit group had been arrested.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org