Two people were killed in an attack on a church in Eruku, Kwara state, as authorities reported the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from a secondary school in Kebbi state. One girl escaped and search teams continue looking for the others. President Bola Tinubu ordered 900 extra troops to Kwara and postponed a trip to the G20 amid the security crisis. Officials say gangs and insurgent groups are commonly responsible; the federal government rejects claims that violence is driven solely by religious persecution.
Two Killed in Central Nigeria Church Attack as Dozens of Schoolgirls Are Abducted
Two people were killed in an attack on a church in Eruku, Kwara state, as authorities reported the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from a secondary school in Kebbi state. One girl escaped and search teams continue looking for the others. President Bola Tinubu ordered 900 extra troops to Kwara and postponed a trip to the G20 amid the security crisis. Officials say gangs and insurgent groups are commonly responsible; the federal government rejects claims that violence is driven solely by religious persecution.
02:38 AM, 11/20/2025Security
Two people were shot dead in a nighttime attack on a church in Eruku town, Kwara state, authorities said, coming days after dozens of schoolgirls were abducted in the country’s northwest.
Police who responded to reports of gunfire found one person fatally shot inside the church and another body nearby, the Kwara state police spokesperson said. The attack has raised fresh concerns about a rise in targeted violence affecting places of worship and schools.
School abductions in Kebbi state
Separately, attackers abducted 25 girls from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town, Kebbi state, on Monday. One student managed to escape and is now safe, while hunters and security forces searched forests and nearby areas for the remaining pupils. Local police said armed men scaled the school fence, exchanged fire with officers, and carried the girls away; a member of the school staff was killed during the assault.
Government response and security measures
Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq praised President Bola Tinubu after the federal government ordered the deployment of 900 additional troops to the state. Tinubu postponed a planned trip to South Africa for this weekend’s Group of 20 summit amid the unfolding security crisis.
Bola Tinubu: “Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.”
Context and reaction
Analysts and local residents say criminal gangs frequently target schools, travelers and remote villages to kidnap people for ransom. Nigeria’s central region has also seen long-running clashes between herders and farmers over land and water that sometimes take on religious overtones, fueling local militias. In the north, the resurgence of Boko Haram and affiliated groups has continued to produce deadly attacks.
Earlier this month, former U.S. President Donald Trump said Christianity faces an "existential threat" in Nigeria and urged the U.S. military to prepare for possible action; the Nigerian government has strongly rejected that characterization, calling it inaccurate and unhelpful.
Security forces remain engaged in search operations for the abducted girls and are conducting investigations into the church shooting. The incidents have prompted both national and international concern as communities demand greater protection and accountability.