Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga says operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the military directly contacted the bandits who abducted 38 members of a Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, leading to their release.
Speaking on Arise TV, Onanuga explained that security agencies had already tracked the kidnappers’ communication lines before initiating contact. According to him, the abductors were unarmed at the time of the operation and ultimately complied because they understood the consequences of defying the security agencies’ directive to free the victims.
He stressed that the government prioritized the safe rescue of the hostages, noting that kidnappers often use abducted civilians as human shields, making an all-out military assault too risky.
When asked if any deal or exchange was made, Onanuga said the government’s immediate goal was the victims’ safety, while arrests, prosecutions, or further operations remain decisions for the security agencies after the rescue.
All 38 worshippers were eventually released unharmed, which Onanuga attributed to coordinated intelligence work and strategic engagement rather than brute force.