Terror gripped Isapa community in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State on Monday evening as armed bandits launched an invasion, resulting in the abduction of several residents, including a pregnant woman, two nursing mothers, and 10 children. This incident occurred barely one week after a similar attack in the neighboring Eruku community.

According to reports, the assault on Isapa took place around 6:00 PM on November 24, 2025, when an estimated 20 to 30 armed bandits stormed the community. They advanced with a large herd of cattle, firing sporadically as they moved through the town. During the chaos, an elderly woman was struck by a stray bullet. A community leader confirmed that 11 individuals were abducted, with seven of them belonging to the same family. The kidnapped victims have been identified as Talatu Kabiru, Magaji, Kande, Hadiza, Mariam, Saima, Habibat (a housewife), Fatima Yusufu (a housewife), Sarah Sunday (a pregnant woman), Lami Fidelis (a nursing mother), and Haja Na Allah. Eyewitnesses recounted that the gunmen left multiple bullet holes on walls and doors, and expended AK-47 shells were later recovered across the community. Three of the abducted persons were reportedly able to escape.

This latest act of banditry has significantly heightened tensions in the area, coming on the heels of another severe incident in Eruku. Previously, terrorists had stormed a branch of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke-Oke-Isegun, in Eruku, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others, including the pastor. Sources indicated that the attackers opened fire during a church meeting, causing worshippers to flee for cover before an unspecified number of people were seized.

In response to the escalating insecurity, President Bola Tinubu announced that all 38 abductees from Eruku had regained their freedom, though specific details of the operation were not disclosed. This statement followed earlier reports of the abductors demanding a ransom of N100 million per victim. The President also addressed wider insecurity challenges across the country, mentioning ongoing rescue efforts for 315 students abducted from St. Mary’s Private Primary and Secondary School in Niger State. He affirmed his commitment to national security by cancelling his trip to the G20 Summit in South Africa to coordinate the national response, asserting that every Nigerian has the right to safety.

Locally, the Kwara State Government has taken precautionary measures by ordering the closure of schools in four local government areas. The Kwara Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, confirmed the Isapa attack, stating he was assessing the situation on his way to the community. Security agencies, in collaboration with local vigilantes, are actively searching the surrounding forests in an effort to track the abductors and rescue the remaining victims from Isapa.