Families of worshippers abducted from a Celestial Church in Uso community, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, have contradicted the police over claims that suspects have been arrested and one of the victims rescued, insisting that all those taken remain in captivity.
The abduction occurred earlier in the week when gunmen stormed the church during a service and whisked away several worshippers, triggering outrage and renewed concerns over insecurity in the area.
However, a source within the families of the victims has dismissed the position of the Ondo State Police Command as “misleading and untrue.”
The state Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, had announced the arrest of 11 suspects in connection with the incident and stated that one of the abducted worshippers had been rescued.
The impeccable source said none of the victims had returned home four days after the attack, nor had they been officially informed of any arrest or rescue.
“We were shocked to hear that arrests have been made and that one victim has been rescued,” a family spokesperson said.
“As of today, none of the abducted worshippers has come back home. We have not been shown any suspect, nor have we been contacted by the police about a rescue.”
The source further disclosed that the abductors had reached out to them and were demanding a ransom of ₦100 million for the release of the victims.
They said the demand has heightened their anxiety and contradicted claims that security agencies had recorded significant breakthroughs.
According to them, there has been no formal briefing from security agencies detailing concrete progress on rescue efforts.
While expressing frustration, the families urged the police to concentrate on actionable steps to secure the victims’ release rather than issuing statements that, in their view, do not reflect realities on the ground.
They also appealed to both the Ondo State and Federal Governments to intensify security operations in the area to ensure the safe and unconditional release of the worshippers.
The families warned that conflicting information could worsen public anxiety and erode trust in security agencies, calling for greater transparency in official communication.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ondo State Police Command had yet to issue a fresh response to the families’ claims disputing the earlier announcement.
