Gunmen Kill Two in Nigeria Church Attack as Security Concerns Deepen

Gunmen Kill Two in Nigeria Church Attack as Security Concerns Deepen
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Gunmen attacked a church in the town of Eruku in Nigeria’s Kwara state on Tuesday evening, killing at least two people and abducting the pastor along with several worshippers, according to police and eyewitnesses, Reuters reported. The assault occurred days after 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a boarding school, intensifying scrutiny on the government’s security response.

President Bola Tinubu postponed planned diplomatic trips to South Africa and Angola to receive urgent briefings on both incidents. His office said he instructed security agencies to track down the attackers in Kwara state and to take all necessary steps to rescue the abducted schoolgirls. The attacks come amid heightened international attention, with U.S. President Donald Trump criticizing Nigeria’s handling of violence targeting Christians.

Nigeria continues to face overlapping security challenges, including an Islamist insurgency in the northeast, armed gangs operating in the northwest, and deadly clashes between herders and farmers in central regions. A video verified by Reuters showed the church attack unfolding during a service, with gunfire forcing congregants to flee for cover as armed men entered the building and seized personal belongings.

Police said officers responding to gunfire found two victims—one inside the church and another nearby—while witnesses reported at least three fatalities. Parishioners said the assailants took several worshippers into the surrounding bush. Local authorities have called for additional security deployments as the search continues for both the kidnapped church members and the missing schoolgirls in Kebbi state.