Residents of Eda-Oniyo Community in Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State have staged a peaceful protest over the continued captivity of 16 residents who were abducted more than a month ago, despite the payment of a ransom by the community.
The demonstrators, made up of community leaders, relatives of the victims, women and youths, appealed to the Federal Government, Ekiti State Government and security agencies to urgently intervene and secure the release of the abductees.
According to the protesters, the victims have spent 36 days in captivity, while their captors continue to demand additional payments despite receiving N10.5 million raised by the community.
The victims were reportedly kidnapped on April 28, 2026, when suspected bandits invaded a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) during a worship service in the community.
The attackers allegedly killed the presiding pastor and abducted 16 worshippers.
Residents said the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N1 billion before reducing it to N150 million and later lowering the demand to N50 million.
Speaking during the protest, community leader Ayodele Ajayi said residents had exhausted their resources in an effort to secure the freedom of those being held but had achieved little success.
“Our people have been in captivity for 36 days. We contributed what we could as a community and paid N10.5 million, but the kidnappers refused to release them. Instead, they are demanding more money.
“There are 16 victims in total. Most of them are women, while two are young boys. We are pleading with governments at all levels to come to our aid and rescue our people,” he said.
Ajayi disclosed that communication with the abductees had continued occasionally, providing evidence that they remained alive, although negotiations with the kidnappers had not yielded the desired result.
Another resident, identified as Mrs Ajayi, appealed to authorities to intensify rescue efforts, stressing that some of the victims are children and elderly persons.
“We have children as young as two and three years old and an elderly woman who is over 80 years old among those kidnapped.
”Families are suffering, and children keep asking for their mothers.
“We are begging the federal, state, and local governments to help secure their release. Women are crying, children are crying, and the entire community is in pain,” she said.
A community representative, Ayodele Oni, said residents felt abandoned despite making significant sacrifices to meet the demands of the kidnappers.
According to him, the community not only raised N10.5 million but also provided food items and other materials requested by the captors.
“We raised N10.5 million, supplied two bags of rice and several other items they requested, including fuel and cigarettes. Yet our people are still being held,” he said.
Oni described the process of delivering the ransom as difficult and traumatic, alleging that those assigned to deliver the money travelled through parts of Kwara and Kogi states before trekking deep into forests to reach the kidnappers.
The community also called for stronger security measures in the area to prevent future attacks.
Residents specifically demanded the establishment of a permanent security post in Eda-Oniyo as well as a military base along the boundary between Ekiti and Kwara states.
They argued that inadequate security presence around the border communities has left residents vulnerable to attacks by armed groups and other criminal elements.
The protest reflects growing frustration within the community as families continue to wait anxiously for the return of their loved ones, while residents urge authorities to take decisive action to end the prolonged ordeal of the abductees.
