Bandits attacked a branch of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in the Eruku community of Kwara State, killing three worshippers and abducting the pastor and several others, according to local reports.

The incident occurred during a service at the Oke Isegun branch in Eruku, a town bordering Kogi State. A livestream of the service, seen by BusinessDay, captured moments when gunshots rang out from outside the church, prompting worshippers to flee as the gunfire intensified. Video footage shows more than five armed men entering the building and ransacking the premises.

“The gunmen came into the church while people were gathered. They started shooting, and three people died immediately,” a witness told the newspaper. “They later rounded up some worshippers, including the pastor, and marched them into the bush.”

A community leader, Benjamin Ayeoribe, said Eruku has suffered repeated bandit attacks over the past three weeks and that appeals to authorities have produced no meaningful response.

“We have begged the local and state governments for help, but nothing concrete has come. We are living in fear every day,” he said.

The attack comes less than two days after bandits abducted 25 students from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State.