Gunmen on Sunday attacked the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), Omugo in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State  abducting eight worshippers during  service.

According to a statement on Sunday by the Kwara Commissioner for Communications, Mrs. Bolanle Olukoju, the suspected bandits stormed the church premises shooting sporadically to scare members of the congregation.

Olukoju added that three of the abducted victims later escaped from their captors, while five others remained in captivity.

She appealed to security agencies and local vigilantes to ensure the perpetrators are apprehended.

“The government commends the security agencies, forest guards and local vigilantes for their proactive response to the incident and the rescue of three of the eight victims.

“The government condemns the cowardly targeting of religious centres under any guise,” the commissioner said.

When contacted, the Commissioner of Police in Kwara, CP Adekimi Ojo, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.

He said that rescue operation was ongoing, as joint patrols of police and military personnel were after the perpetrators.

The CP said that only two among the kidnap victims were below 70 years of age, adding that the three others were elderly people. (NAN)